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THE EARLY LIFE 



, DANTE ALIGHIERI. 



TOGETHER WITH THE ORIGINAL IN PARALLEL PAGES 



JOSEPH GARROVV ESQ^. A. M. 




FLORENCE. 

PK^KTED BY FELIX LE M(5TNN1ER. 
1846. 



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PREFACE. 



s »5, 



Having been informed on excellent Authority that 
the following little work (the first creation of the im- 
mortal mind of Dante) has never been translated into 
English, and well knowing the high estimation in 
which his writings are held amongst us, I thought I 
could not better employ the leisure hours of a winter 
in Florence than in endeavouring to present it to my 
countrymen in an English dress. It is a production in 
every way remarkable; of a kind quite novel at the 
period when it was composed, replete with beauty both 
in prose and verse, and the more to be appreciated as 
being the Basis on which the superstructure of modern 
Romance has been raised. On this latter point I shall 
adduce hereafter the authority of Mons^ Delecluze the 
learned French translator of the "Fifa nuova." Let not 
the reader however expect to find, either a Romance or 
a Biographical Memoir such as are produced in modern 
times; nothing can be more unlike; it is indeed a work 
sui generis, simple in its conception and execution, terse 
and energetic in its language , but occasionally quaint and 
sometimes mystical ; founded on the Platonic theory of 



— VI — 

Love , it embraces the astronomical system of Ptolemy 
together with the belief in the influence of the planets 
on the various conditions of humanity as calculated by 
the ancient Astrologers — Dante has been reproached 
especially in Germany, but also in England, with a want 
of tenderness, and notwithstanding the exquisite pathos 
of certain descriptions in the Bivina Commedia (too well 
known to be here singled out) , notwithstanding, every 
possible allowance on account of the nature of the 
subject on which he treats, many continue to entertain 
such an opinion ; it appears to me, however, impossible 
to rise up from a perusal of the Vita miova without 
feeling, that in proportion as the mind of Dante was 
more powerful than that of other men , so was his heart 
susceptible of tender emotions in a degree rarely to be 
found in others. This little history of his first love, with 
an analysis of his feelings from the commencement to 
the tragical conclusion, leaves not a doubt upon the 
mind, that with a supernatural degree of Intellect he 
united a heart of the most sensitive materials. 

In republishing the Italian from the editon of Fra- 
ticelli , my object is to make the work serviceable to 
Itahans studying English , as well as to English studying 
Italian — it seems indeed extraordinary, that whilst the 
Inferno and Paradiso are extensively read in England, 
whilst indeed the whole Bivina Commedia has been 
oftener translated , commented upon and edited amongst 
us than in any other country, except Italy, the vila 
nuova which was written before it and seems almost a 
' necessary preparation for the well understanding it, 
should be so little known. — I trust then that some 



may be induced to read it, if only as a stepping 
stone or explanatory chapter to the greater works of 
Dante. It has not been my wish to give a servilely 
literal translation, but still to keep as near the original 
as my knowledge of the idioms of the two languages 
would permit. — It would have been far from a difficult 
task to have modernized in a great degree the whole 
work, by the omission of certain antiquated phrases too 
often repeated for modern ears , by reconstructing some 
of the sentences, and placing Dante's own explanations 
of his sonnets and ballads in the notes; but such a 
travestie is the last thing in the world that I have aimed 
at, although advised so to do; I should indeed as soon 
think of publishing a portrait of Dante divested of the 
picturesque Florentine costume of the 15^*^ century, and 
clad in the very convenient but tasteless modern garb 
of London or Paris — the clothes might fit, but they 
would be irreconcileable with the gait and manner of 
the severe and immortal Poet. 

In endeavouring to translate (in the extended sense 
of the word) the Poetry of the Vita nuova, with a rigid 
attention to the rhymes of the original, I am well aware 
that I have attempted an impossibility — of the difficulty 
I say nothing, as the reader is concerned only in 
the result, but a hint at it may perhaps incline him 
to patience and mercy — to give the grace and spirit 
of Dante in a translation is not in the power of 
mortal pen, but if it shall be found that I have 
embodied the true meaning in the form in which the 
poet intended it should be, I shall have done the 
utmost that my rashest hopes could have suggested. 



— - vin — 

Many readers no doubt, like myself, have read the 
sonnets and ballads of the Vita nuova as detached pieces 
of poetry; shall I be deemed guilty of heresy and a 
total want of taste for saying, that I never could com- 
prehend the exquisite pleasure which others seemed to 
feel in the perusal of them? if so, I reply, that my 
fault was not so much a want of taste as a want of 
knowledge — each piece of poetry in the Vila nuova is 
an embodiment of some previous scene, or some violent 
affection of the poet (mental or corporeal) already 
related in the previous prose — without such narrative or 
explanation I still think many of them unintelligible, 
but when taken in their proper order, and in their 
destined places, all becomes clear, and they cannot 
fail to strike the dullest reader , as exquisite specimens 
of Poetry which must endure so long as man is subject 
to the same affections, the same sorrows, as he now is. 
To use a not very new simile, these sonnets etc. are 
like precious stones each of which has its own peculiar 
colour and form, and consequent charm, but which 
when artistically set, not only exhibit their own beauty, 
but by contrast and reflection increase that of others , 
and gain withal in consequence of the setting a form 
and a meaning which, when detached, they could never 
possess. 

The question may be asked, why I have entitled 
this little work "the earlij Life'' of Dante instead of the 
"wew Life" which seems the closer translation of the 
words Vita nuova. Taking the narrative to be a true 
one, it comprises that portion of the poet's life which 
is included between his 9*^ and 25*^^ year , and to such 



a period the term "early life" seems peculiarly appli- 
cable — the words "new life" have wiih us a sense almost 
exclusively religious, denoting a change from a life of 
Vice or pleasure, to one of Virtue or sober meditation 
and action — that a child of 9 years of age should have 
been so vicious as to need such a change, or so reso- 
lute as to effect it just when the passions were begin- 
ning to stir within him, seems almost incredible; but 
the real fact is , that in the story itself there is not the 
slightest intimation of any vice abandoned , or of any 
new path of virtue trodden by the gifted child of Song — 
true it is, that the change produced by the first sensa- . 
tions of a Love as pure as that of Angels upon a mind 
like that of Dante, may be such as almost to be called 
a new state of existence, but not a "new life" in the 
sense in which we use the term. The word ^^nuova" 
moreover is frequently used by ancient Italian authors 
in the sense of young, fresh etc, Sig. Fraticelli adduces 
no less than a dozen examples frome Dante, Petrarch, 
Boccaccio and others, in which coupled with the sub- 
stantives '^v'lta," "eid," "etade," "anni," etc. it can mean 
nothing but ^^ youth " or ^'ijoung" to render it by the 
word new would be an absurdity. I once thought indeed 
that Dante had himself settled the question by the use 
of the following words in the very beginning of the 
work, ^'Incipit vita nova," thereby seeming to indicate 
a change of life or new life ; but upon reflection I am 
of another opinion; for he says, "In that part of the ^ 
tablet of my memory , previous to which there is little 
legible, is a rubric which says ^^Incipit vita nova," my 
early life begins; "or in other words, previous to the 



period noted by this rubric, there was nothing so remark- 
able as to have left an impression on my memory 
therefore my early Life may be said to begin there." 
Those commentators indeed who consider the whole 
as an Allegory relating to a period subsequent to Dan- 
te's 25^^" year, might with more propriety use the 
term ^'new Life," for we know from himself, that having 
lost his Beatrice , he entered upon a course of severe 
study, preparatory to the composition of his immortal 
works. Amongst a variety of titles which have been 
suggested to me, is that of ''young life;" this expres- 
sion however seems to me very unusual and hardly 
English, unless used in a technical sense (as for instance 
in speaking of Leases or Insurances on Lives) or where 
life itself being personified, it may be said to be old 
or young; but where it simply denotes a portion of 
duration which can neither be old or young , it would 
be unusual (to say the least of it) to apply an epithet 
denoting a quality which it does not possess — whether 
Dante really meant any thing more than the words 
early Life suggest, is still a question in Italy, which, 
like most others relating to him, seems destined to 
remain in niibihus, till some unwearied commentator 
shall find his own explanation in some other of his 
works. 

Another question much more important than the 
above, has long been in debate in Italy, and is not and 
probably never will be settled. Much time has been 
consumed, much learning and critical ability have been 
employed in discussing the point, whether the Vila nuova 
is a real history of persons and events , a genuine des- 



— XI — 

cription of the young poets feelings when subject to his 
intense love for Beatrice, or whether it is altogether a 
fiction , an Allegory ; conveying in the form of a romance 
a meaning wholly different from that which is appa- 
rent, and relating to a period of Dante's life which does 
not correspond with the dates which he himself gives, 
or which may be inferred from those which are given. — 
That such a species of composition was far from uncom- 
mon amongst the old Italian writers is (I believe) gene- 
rally admitted, and Sig. Rossetti has shewn how even 
the ^^Bivina Commedia^ itself may be ingeniously tor-, 
tured into a series of political allusions, acrostics, alli- 
terations, quibbles and puns. — It would be the height 
of impertinence for a foreigner to enter the controver- 
sial lists , in which are arranged on one side such men 
as Boccaccio, Benvenuto da Imola, Leonardo Aretino, 
Cristoforo Landino , Vellutello , Daniello , and latest of 
all Giudici; * on the other, and in favour of the Allego- 
rical interpretation, are Filelfo, Biscioni (a canon of the 
church) and lastly Rossetti; the reader however is en- 
titled to have so much of the controversy laid before 
him as may enable him after perusal to judge for 
himself. — I shall therefore give a compendium of the 
arguments on either side, leaving the more curious 
reader to investigate the matter profoundly in Ihe works 
of the above named authors, and referring the less 
inquisitive to the preface by Fraticelli to the Vita nuova^ 
where the subject is discussed ably and elaborately. 

^ In his uStoria delle belle Leltere in Italian lately published 
al Florence, a translation of which into English is now making 
and will shortly be published in London. 



— WI — 

BiscionPs opinion taken from Filelfo and adopted 
by Rossetti is this ; that the Beatrice of Dante was not a 
real but imaginary person and therefore could not be 
the daughter of Folco Portinari; that the Vita nuova was 
a treatise on love , purely intellectual , in the form of 
an allegory, to the exclusion of all reality; that Wis- 
dom in its most extended sense, personified under the 
name of Beatrice was the object of Dante's love; that by 
love, Dante meant study, in the same way as he con- 
fesses he used it in the Conviio; that the sudden excite- 
ment of the three spirits, vital, animal and natural, 
by the first appearance of Beatrice, represents the effect 
produced by the difficulties attendant on the prosecution 
of a work of labour, especially on young persons; that 
the salutation of Beatrice demonstrates the capacity for 
acquiring the sciences, and their readiness to answer 
the call of those who, having a good understanding, 
are seriously inclined to study — that the divers Ladies 
by whom Beatrice was accompanied represent the 
sciences who were her handmaids; and that the death 
of the father of Beatrice, may be supposed to mean 
the death of Dante's master; notwithstanding all this they 
admit that Beatrice Portinari lived in this world, w^as 
highly gifted, and intimate with Dante, their houses 
being only a few paces distant from each other in Flo- 
rence. Rossetti goes still further thanBiscioni, and con- 
tends that not only Beatrice, but Giovanna, Selvaggia, 
Laura, Fiammetta etc. , were all allegorical personifica- 
tions by Dante ^ Cavalcanti^ Cino , Petrarch, Boccac- 
cio etc. Many others have adopted these opinions but 
without adducing any new arguments in their favour. 



•— xm — 

To this is answered by Fraticelli and his predecessors, 
that Boccaccio, who was the earliest biographer of 
Dante, considered the story to be a true one; so also did 
the intimate friend and commentator on Dante , surnamed 
"i/ Buono" or ^H'Otlimo," that Dante was passionately 
fond of Beatrice is manifest from his own words , not 
only in the vita nuova but in the Convito and Divina 
Commedia. In the Convito for example he says "When 
the first delight of my soul (Beatrice) was taken from 
me, I remained in such a state of grief as to be fre- 
quently inconsolable" he then mentions his having 
read ^^Boetius cle consolalione" and Cicero ^'de amicilia" 
which though he understood with difficulty on ac- 
count of his want of knowledge of Grammar, yet he 
says "my intellect saw many things as it were in a 
dream such as may be seen in the Vila nuova" — he con- 
tinued his studies for 50 months , and at last began to 
feel the pleasures of Learning, which he calls ^^ Donna" 
thereby meaning "Philosophy," as we learn from him- 
self in the ^^ Convito." — "This Donna was the daughter 
of God, Queen of all, most noble, most beautiful Philo- 
sophy;" certain facts are then enumerated which make 
it all but certain that the Beatrice of the Vita nuova and 
of the Convito were the same only in name, the later 
being allegorical the former real; thus in the Vita nuova 
we fmd not only the name of Beatrice but her age, 
the death of her father and also of herself — the 
wanderings and illnesses of Dante, the words as well as 
the actions of other contemporary Ladies, his desire to 
conceal his love for Beatrice by means of an artifice, 
his composition in the form of a "Serventese" in 



— XIV — 

which 70 of the most beautiful Ladies of Florence were 
comprised and amongst them his own love, his eager 
desire to receive her salutation , the appearance of Bea- 
trice with Giovanna the beloved of Cavalcanti, and at 
last her death on the 9^^^ June 1290 at the age of 24 
years ; he also speaks of his having loved her from his 
childhood, and says that he became enamoured of Phi- 
losophy some time after her decease ; in the Conviio , 
he says. « I am certain of going to a better life after 
» this, where my most glorious Lady dwells; she of 
» whom my soul was enamoured whilst she lived here » 
and lastly in the 50^^ and 51 ^t Cantos of the Purgalorio 
he speaks of her as made of flesh and blood — that Dante 
should have given the name of his terrestrial love 
(whom he could never forget till death) to his celestial 
one (Wisdom) in the ^^ D'lvina Commedia " ought not 
either to excite surprise nor be considered as a valid 
argument against what is^above stated, for he himself 
almost tells us that he will do so, in the conclusion of the 
Vila niiova. o So that if it be the will of him in whom 
)) all things have their being, that my life should be 
» continued for a few years, I hope to speak of her as 
» no woman ever was spoken of before. » 

I trust that this statement of conjectures on the 
one side, and of facts on the other, may be sufficient 
to give the reader some insight into the dispute in ques- 
tion; as I before said, it would be impertinent in me to 
enter the arena, but I cannot refrain from giving an 
opinion which is not only my own but that of all the 
literary persons with whom it has been my good for- 
tune to converse in Italy, and it is this; that taking the 



— XV — 

circumstantial evidence of the Viianuova (some of which 
has been proved true by public official documents of 
the time ) and connecting it with the expressions to be 
found in Dante's other works , there can be little doubt 
that the narrative is a true one ; interspersed indeed 
after the fashion of that day, with Paganism, Mysticism, 
Astrological credences, and having the Platonic theory 
of love for its basis — but if after all it be an allegory, if 
there be a covert meaning (as was not unusual in Dante's 
time), it must be confessed that it is so well concealed 
as scarcely to be suspected ; nay , given the clue , it is 
most difficult to find the path and make the right appli- 
cation ; besides it does appear to me most strange, that 
Dante, one of the clearest of writers, should have been 
at the pains not only to tell a story in prose, but re- 
peat it inverse, then subdivide, comment on and explain 
it , and yet that he should leave no trace in the work 
itself of his intention to inculcate a meaning, which, 
but for certain expressions in his later works, would 
scarcely have been dreamt of. — To my, perhaps short 
sighted view, it appears that much of the contention 
has arisen from the one circumstance of the same name 
(Beatrice) being used in the three works of Dante, the 
Vita nuova the Convilo and the Div'ina Commedia, and in 
the two last confessedly as an allegorical personage; 
that considering the three works as links of one chain 
it has been argued that Beatrice must be the same in 
all , and consequently that being allegorical in two , she 
must be so in the third; and hence arises the necessity 
for finding an allegorical personification and interpre- 
tation of all the other characters and incidents in the 



— XVI — 

story, so as to annihilate the incongruity which would 
otherwise exist. — It appears to me more just and more 
natural to take the works in their order; the Vita 7iuova, 
the literary effort of a young man passionately fond of 
his friend and neighbour Beatrice, first; then to suppose 
that miserable at her loss , and applying himself to the 
severest study, he gave her name to the ideal being 
whom he afterwards worshipped in herstead, as is mani- 
fest in the Convito and Commedia, which were the produ- 
ctions of later years — and this is more consonant with the 
Platonic theory, which beginning with the love of beauty 
in an individual terrestrial body, goes on by degrees sub- 
liming itself until it arrive at the contemplation of the 
beautiful in the abstract — my readers may perhaps be 
inclined to know more of the theory of Plato on which 
this work is founded , I extract therefore the following 
passage from the preface to the elegant french transla- 
tion of the Vita nuova by M. Delecluze. « In the Sympo- 
» slum, Plato makes Socrates say, He who would set 
)) about it (platonic love) in the right way, must from 
» his youth seek for forms that are beautiful. At first 
» he should love but one of them ; then recognize the 
» beauty which resides in one as the sister of that 
» which dwells in the others. And if it is right to seek 
» for beauty generally, a man must have little sense 
» who does not look upon the beauty of all bodies as 
» one and the same thing. Afterwards he must con- 
» sider the beauty of the soul as something much 
» more elevated than that of the body; so that a beau- 
)) tiful mind, although unaccompanied by visible charms, 
)) should suffice to attract his attention arid love. Thus 



— XVII — 

» will he be led to contemplate beauty in the actions 
)) of men, and in their laws, and to discover that moral 
)) beauty is every where of the same nature ; then will 
» he learn to consider physical beauty as scarcely any 
» thing. Passing from the sphere of action to that of 
)) the Intellect, he should contemplate the beauty of 
» the sciences, and thus he will attain to a more en- 
» larged view of beauty itself. Beauty, eternal, un- 
» create , imperishable , incapable of diminution or 
)) increase; Beauty in which all other beauties parti- 
» cipate. 

» But when leaving these inferior degrees of beauty, 
» we arrive at the contemplation of perfect Beauty, 
» and begin to have a glimpse of it, we are not far 
» from what is the end of Love ; in fact the real path of 
» Love is to commence by terrestrial beauty, but with 
» our eyes tending always to beauty which is above, 
» and to raise ourselves without ceasing towards it, 
» passing through all the degrees of the scale , from one 
» beautiful body to two , from two to all the others , 
» from beautiful bodies to beautiful sentiments , from 
» beautiful sentiments to beautiful sciences, until we 
» arrive at the loftiest knowledge which has no other 
» object than the Beautiful itself, according as we come 
» to know it as it is in itself; for the only thing which 
» can give value to life, is the sight of Beauty eternal. » 

I stated in the commencement that this little work 
of Dante might be considered as the foundation of all 
the Bomances which have since been written; the idea 
I believe originated with M. Delecluze; I shall therefore 
translate some passages from his observations on the 



— XVTII — 

Vita nuova, in which the reader will find the facts from 
which he has drawn so important an inference, and 
will be enabled to judge of its correctness. ((This book, 
» well considered is a Romance in the form of recollec- 
» tions, nay even confessions; in which the Author after 
» having energetically explained his sensations, care- 
)) fully seeks to find out the cause of them , and to ana- 
» lyse the effects ; in a word the Vita nuova, is the type of 
» the modern Romance , the model of that sort of com- 
)) position in which , Love being given as the principal 
» subject, the author studies and describes himself with 
» as much minuteness as if he were speaking of 
» another person or of a feeling to which he himself is 
» a stranger. This form of composition was not invented 
» by Dante, since it was often used by the Hebrew 
» Prophets ; and Boetius de Consolatione philosophice, as 
)) well as S* Augustin in his Confessions, had often 
)) employed it, but it is clear that the Florentine Poet 
» has modified it in a remarkable manner, nay that he 
)) has given it an entirely new character by the appli- 
» cation of it to the subject of Love. Italian literature, 
» which has sometimes been reproached with not having 
» produced Romances, possesses however two forms 
» of composition which it would be unjust not to place 
» in the same category; I mean the Novelle, narratives 
» at once impassioned and full of life, but wanting, it is 
» true, in development, and in which an analysis of the 
» feelings is never introduced; after these comes the 
)) Vila nuova y and all those works which have taken it 
)) for a starting point and model. Nobody is ignorant 
» that the Novelle, even good ones, are numerous, but 



ii 



— XIX — 

» there is a fact in literature little known (if this is not 
» indeed the first time that it has been noticed, namely, 
» the influence which the Vita nuova, of Dante has 
» exercised on the Poets and Authors who have succeed- 
» ed him, as well as the number and importance of 
» the imitations, more or less successful, more or less 
» faithful, which have been made of this singular book. 
» persons fond of inquiry, who would for instance enjoy 
» the pleasure of mingling in their course of reading, 
» the Italian Poetry of Petrarch with that of the work 
» which he composed in Latin (de contemptu vitse) and 
» which he called his secret ^ will find that Petrarch, in 
» imitation of Dante has made a commentary on his 
» poetry, and an Analysis of the most profound and deli- 
» cate feelings of his heart. Petrarch however possesses 
» so elevated a mind and is so powerful in himself, that 
» the imitation, real as it is , might escape the Reader's 
» observation , if in the prose compositions of this Au- 
» thor one did not often find an analysis of the feelings 
» of Love, which is in fact the Dantesque invention 
» upon which I am now remarking. But the most flagrant 
» imitation is in the collection of poetry by Lorenzo 
» de'Medici, called the Magnificent; here is a succession 
» of amatory sonnets , preceded and followed by narra- 
» tives and commentaries in prose, in which like Dante 
» in the Vita nuova, Lorenzo indicates the circumstances 
» which caused him to compose the verses, as well as 
» the sense in which they ought to be understood — in 
)) this little Romance , the chief Magistrate of Florence 
» not only traces the development of his passion with 
» all the minuteness and refinement of the great Poet, 



— XX — 

» but he even conforms to the march of the language 
» and the choice of expressions most frequent in Dante. 
» Verses taken from the Vita nuova are not rare in the 
» prose of Lorenzo , who may indeed be pardoned these 
$ petty larcenies , in favour of the elegance of his style 
» and the original turn he has given to this spirited 
» imitation ; a curious monument of the ancient art of 
» composition. 

» The Vita nuova , the sonnets with their commen- 
» taries by Petrarch and Lorenzo dei Medici having 
» had great success during two centuries , men's minds 
» became habituated to that sort of reading; and as it 
» often happens with literary productions on which 
» persons of taste have at first feasted, it became ne- 
» cessary to transform, and issue them in the ordinary 
» currency, for the use of ordinary readers. In fact, 
» only a few years after the publication of the poetry 
» of Lorenzo dei Medici, a long romance written by 
» Colonna, a monk of Treviso, appeared. The dream 
» of Poliphilus (la Hijpiierolomachia di Polipholo) is a 
» servile and exaggerated imitation of the Vita nuova 
» and of the three canticles of Dante. In this work as 
)) well as in the erotic compositions of the three preceed- 
» ing writers, we find (allowing for the difference of 
» style and invention which in Colonna are very ordi- 
» nary) the same minute attention to the rendering an 
» exact account of the cares, the sufferings, and all 
» the vicissitudes of the passion to which the author 
» was a prey. This book, which in the midst of a heap 
» of unintelligible stuff seems to contain the real his- 
» tory of the monk Colonna , the ravisher of a young 



— XXI — 

» nun, was printed by Aldus in 1449, embellished 
» with wood cuts which are still much esteemed by 
» amateurs and lovers of the curious. Aldus published 
» two editions of it afterwards, with an interval of 
» some years , and it is impessiblo to imagine the pro- 
» digious success which this odd book obtained, not 
» only in Italy but in every nation of Europe. It was 
» translated, often reprinted, and always splendidly 
» embellished with engravings. This vast success, 
» which lasted two centuries , proves how general 
» throughout Europe from the year 1499 to the end of 
» the seventeenth century, the taste for amorous adven- 
» tures plainly developed, together with an analysis 
» of the most secret and sublimed feelings , had be- 
» come. 

» A comparative reading of the Vita nuova, the 
» poetry of Petrarch and Lorenzo dei Medici, with 
» their own comments, the dream of Poliphilus and 
» some analagous works written in France during 
» the 16*^ century, will convince the minds of those 
» who undertake it, that between the writings just 
» cited and analytical romances, such as are now com- 
» posed in Europe and have been so ever since the 
» time of Richardson, there exists not only a family 
» resemblance, but a fundamental and characteristic 
» relation, namely, the exhibition of a story and the 
» passion of love, surrounded by an immense commen- 
» tary. 

» If, as I believe, this observation is just and well 
» founded, the analytical romance, the romance (in- 
» time) of the secret feelings (as a talented modern 



— xxu — 

» writer has designated it) ascends uninterruptedly in 
» a direct line to the Vita nuova, and this new title of 
» glory must be added to the numerous others already 
» conceded to Dante Alighieri. As for myself I have 
» long regarded this Poet as the father of what is called 
» modern Romance. » 

I have only now to request the Reader, whilst he 
peruses the sonnets etc. to recollect, that it is not a 
translation of modern poetry which is before his eyes, 
but of a period as far back as the 13^^ century; and 
that all which may appear hard to understand, stiff 
in expression, or quaint in manner, is not at once to 
be laid to the fault of the Translator. The original poetry 
varies with the occasion, and is therefore unequal 
both in merit and interest; and although all is good, 
yet the modes of thought and expression six centu- 
ries back, are so different from our own, as to be 
almost repulsive to one not in some degree accustomed 
to them — the language too is wholly different from that 
of modern times, in so much so that I firmly believe 
there are few Italians who would thoroughly compre- 
hend the meaning at a single reading. All I ask there- 
fore is patience — and with a slight degree of that vir- 
tue, I doubt not that most Readers will find both 
entertainment and instruction in this the first work of 
an immortal mind. 



THE 



EARLY LIFE. 



LA VITA NUOVA 



DI 



])A]¥T£ AlilOmORI. 



In quella parte del libro della mia memoria, di- 
nanzi alia quale poco si potrebbe leggere, si trova una 
rubrica, la quale dice: Incipil Vita Nova. Sotto la quale 
rubrica io trovo scritte le parole le quali e mio inten- 
dimento d' assemprare in questo libello, e se non tutte, 
almeno la loro sentenzia. 

NoYC fiate gia, appresso al mio nascimento, era 
tornato lo cielo della luce quasi ad un medesimo pun- 
to, quanto alia sua propria girazione, quando alii miei 
occhi apparve prima la gloriosa Donna della mia men- 
te, la quale fu chiamata da molti Beatrice, e quali non 
sapeano che si chiamare. Ella era gia in questa vita stata 



THE EARLY LIFE 



»A]¥V£ AlilQHIORI. 



In that part of the Tablet of my memory (previous 
to which there is little legible) is a Rubric^ which says 
"Incipit vita nova " — " my early Life begins." — Under 
which Rubric, I find written the following words, which 
it is my intention to collect in this little Rook; and if 
not all of Ihem, at least to give their sense. — 

Nine times from the hour of my Birth, had the^ hea- 
ven of Light returned, as it were, to the same point in its 
orbit, when the glorious Lady of my thoughts, appeared 
for the first time before my Eyes; by many she was 
called Beatrice, who knew her by no other name. ^ — She 

> So called from the custom of writing with red luk the heads of chap- 
ters, or brief summaries of arguments. 

» The sun. 

3 Much difference of opinion has been entertained on the meaning of 
this passage, with which it is hardly worth while to trouble the English 
Reader — the ancient M. S. read " i qualij » in the text of Fraticelli , it 
stands, «c quafi » in the former case it will be rendered as above, <i who 
knew »» in the latter « and some knew » — it does not seem to me at all 
surprising, that Beatrice should be called by her Christian name, and be 
unknown to many, by any other; since we find such a practice existing 
in Italy, not only with regard to friends, but all those who are distingui- 
shed either by rank, beauly or talent — and many are known by that name 
only, and not by their Surname' — That Beatrice , who really possessed all 
that is given to mortals bolh physically and intellectually, should have bad 
this distinction, is therefore not to be wondered at. 



— 4 — 

tanto che nel suo tempo lo cielo stellato era mosso verso 
la parte d'orienle delle dodici parti I'una d'un grado: 
si che quasi dal principio del suo anno nono apparve 
a me, ed io la vidi quasi alia fine del mio nono anno. 
Ella apparvemi vestita di nobilissimo colore umile ed 
onesto sanguigno, cinta ed ornata alia guisa che alia 
sua giovanissima etade si convenia. In quel punto dico 
veracemente, che lo spirito deila vita, lo quale dimora 
nella segretissima camera del cuore, comineio a Ire- 
mare si fortemente che apparia ne' menomi polsi orri- 
bilmente; e tremando disse quesle parole: Ecce deus 
fortior me, qui veniens dominahilur mihi. In quel punto 
lo spirito animate, il quale dimora nell' alta camera, 
nella quale tutli li spiriti sensitivi portano le loro per- 
cezioni, si comineio a maravigliare molto, e parlando 
spezialmente alii spiriti del viso, disse queste parole: 
Apparuit jam beatitudo vestra. In quel punto lo spirito 
naturale, il quale dimora in quella parte ove si mini- 
stra lo nutrimento nostro, comineio a piangere, e pian- 
gendo disse queste parole: Heu miser! quia frequenter 
impeditus ero deinceps. D' allora innanzi dico ch'Amore 
signoreggio I'anima mia, la quale fu si tosto a lui di- 
sponsata , e comineio a prendere sopra me tanta sicur- 



— 5 — 

was then of such an age, that the starry heavens had 
moved the twelfth part of a degree towards the East* 
during her lifetime; so that, she appeared to me, about 
the beginning of her ninth year, and I saw her, about 
the end of my ninth year. — She appeared to me in a 
dress of a noble colour, a subdued and becoming blood 
red, with a sash aud ornaments suited to her very 
youthful years. — At that moment, (I speak the truth) 
the Spirit ofLife^ which dwells in the most secret cham- 
ber of the heart, began to tremble so violently, as to be 
frightfully visible in the smallest pulses of my Body, 
aud with faultering voice, said these words : ^Ecce deus 
fortior me, qui veniens dominabitur mihi." — " Behold a 
God stronger than I, who coming, will subdue me. " — 
Then the animal Spirit, which dwells in the lofty 
chamber, whither the spirits of the Senses carry their 
perceptions^ began to marvel greatly, and addressing 
itself especially to the Spirits of Vision, said these 
Words, ^^Apparuitjam beatitudo vestra" — "Now has thy 
blessedness appeared. " — At that moment the Spirit of 
Nature, which dwells in that part to which we administer 
food, began to weep, and amidst tears, said the following 
words : " Beu miser! quia frequenter impeditus ero dein- 
ceps" — "Ah! wretched me! for henceforth I shall often 
be impeded! " From that time forth, I say, that Love 
held absolute empire over my soul , (which had been 

■ In the Convito are the following words « That heaven folio-wing the 
motion of the starry spheres moves from "West to East, one degree in a hundred 
years » the twelfth part of which is eight years and a third — Beatrice was 
therefore 8 years and 4 months old. 

* The vital principle. 

3 The Brain. 

1* 



— 6 - 

tade e tanta signoria, per la virtu die gli dava la mia 
imaginazione , che mi convenia fare compiutamente 
tulti i suoi piaceri. Egli mi comandava molte volte che 
io cercassi per vedere quest' Angiola giovanissima: on- 
d' io nella mia puerizia molte fiate Y andai cercando, e 
vedeala di si nobili e iaudabili portamenti, che certo 
di lei si potea dire quella parola del poeta Omero: 
"Ella non pare figliuola d'uomo mortale, ma di Dio." 
Ed avvegna che la sua imagine, la quale continuamente 
meco stava, fosse baldanza d'amore a signoreggiarmi, 
tuttavia era di si nobile virtu, che nulla volta sofferse 
che Amore mi reggesse senza il fedele consiglio delta 
ragione in quelle cose la dove cotal consiglio fosse utile 
a udire. E pero che sopraslare alle passioni ed atti di 
tanta gioventudine pare alcuno parlare fabuloso, mi 
par tiro da esse, e trapassando molte cose, le quali si 
potrebbero trarre dalF esemplo onde nascono queste, 
verro a quelle parole, le quali sono scritte nella mia 
memoria sotto maggiori paragrafi. 

Poiche furono passati tanti di , che appunto erano 
compiuli li nove anni appresso 1' apparimento sopra- 
scritto di questa gentilissima, nell' ultimo di questi di 
avvenne, che questa mirabile donna apparve a me ve- 
stita di colore bianchissimo in mezzo di due gentili 
donne, le quali erano di piu lunga etade, e passando 
per una via volse gli occhi verso quella parte ov' io era 
molto pauroso; e per la sua ineffabile cortesia, la quale 
e oggi meritata nel grande secolo, mi saluto virtuosa- 



— 7 — 

SO quickly betrothed to him) and began to exercise 
over me, in consequence of the strength which my 1 
Imagination gave him , such vast and uncontroled 
power, that I was compelled wholly to comply with 
all his wishes — He oftentimes commanded me to 
strive to get a Sight of this youthful Angel; conse- 
quently, I frequently sought her during my Boyhood, and 
found in her, so noble so praiseworthy a bearing , that 
the line of Homer might with truth be applied to her, 
" She seems not a daughter of mortal man, but of the 
Gods " — and although her Image, which was always 
present to me, might be the effect of Love's bold seigniory ^ 
over me, yet it possessed a power so noble, that on no 
occasion (in those matters which required the faithful 
counsel of Reason,] would it suffer Love to move me, 
without listening to its dictates — But as the dwelling 
on the passions and actions of such extreme youth, 
would appear but as an idle story, I shall say no more 
about them; and omitting many circumstances which 
might be extracted from this, my case, in which they 
occurred, I shall pass on to those words which arc 
written in my memory in characters more distinct. 

When exactly so many days had elapsed after the 
above described apparition of this most noble Lady, as 
were necessary to complete nine whole years*, it chan- 
ced, that on the last of those days, this most admirable 
person appeared to me in a dress of the purest white, T 
between two noble Ladies, older than herself; and pas- j 
sing along the street, she turned her eyes towards the ' 
spot, where, trembling wilh fear, I stood; and with an 
ineffable Courtesy (which now has its reward in Eter- 



— 8 - 

mente tanto, che mi parve allora vedere tatti i termini 
della beallludine. L'ora che lo suo dolcissimo salutare 
mi giunse era fermamente nona di quel giorno: e pe- 
rocche quella fu la prima volta che le sue parole ven- 
nero a' miei orecchi , presi tanta dolcezza, che come 
inebriato mi partii dalle genii. E ricorso al solingo 
luogo d' una mia camera, puosimi a pensare di questa 
corlesissima; e pensando di lei, mi sopraggiunse un 
soave sonno, nel quale m'apparve una maravigliosa 
visione: che mi parea vedere nella mia camera una 
nebula di colore di fuoco, dentro alia quale io discernea 
una figura d' uno Signore, di pauroso aspetto a chi lo 
guardasse: e pareami con tanta letizia, quanto a se, 
che mirabil cosa era: e nelle sue parole dicea molte 
cose, le quali io non intendea se non poche, tra le quali 
io intendea queste: Ego dominus tuus. Nelle sue braccia 
mi parea vedere una persona dormire nuda, salvo che 
involta mi parea in un drappo sanguigno leggermente, 
la quale io riguardando molto intentivamente, conobbi 
ch'era la donna della salute, la quale m'avea lo giorno 
dinanzi degnato di salutare. E nell' una delle mani mi 
parea, che questi tenesse una cosa, la quale ardesse tutta; 
e pareami che mi dicesse queste parole: Vide cor tuum. E 
quando egh era stato alquanto, pareami che disvegliasse 
queslache dormia; e tanto si sforzava per suo ingegno,che 
le facea mangiare quella cosa che in mano gh ardeva, la 
quale ella mangiava dubitosamente. Appresso cio, poco 
dimorava, che la sua letizia si convertia in amarissimo 
pianto: e cosi piangendo si ricoghea questa donna nelle 



— 9 — 

nity) saluted me in so striking a manner, that I seemed 
to reach the very extreme of happiness — The hour at , 
which 1 received this most bewitching salutation, was 
precisely the none^ of that day; and as this was the first 
lime that her words had reached my ears, the pleasure 
which I received was such, that I quitted the com- 
pany, as it were in a stale of Intoxication — And reti- 
ring to my solitary Chamber, I sat down to meditate on 
this most courteous Lady; during my meditation, a 
sweet sleep came over me, in which appeared a won- 
derful Vision — I seemed to see in my chamber a cloud, 
red as fire, in the midst of which I discerned the figure 
of a man ^ whose aspect struck fear into the Beholder, 
whilst, wonderful to say he appeared all Joy — And 
he spoke of many things, few of which I understood; 
but amongst them was this, " Ego dominus tuus, " 
" I am thy Master " — In his arms I seemed to see a sleep- 
ing figure, naked, except a slight covering of a blood- 
red coloured drapery — but looking more attentively, 
I saw that it was the Lady of my happiness, who had 
condescended to address me on the day before — In 
one of his hands he seemed to hold something which 
was all in flames; and to say these words, " Vide cor 
tuum" — "Behold thine own heart" — And after a short 
time, he seemed to me to awaken her who slept, and to 
exert his skill in such wise, Ihat he forced her to eat 
that which was burning in his hand — and this she did 
with hesitation and fear — He stayed but a short time 
after this, but his joy was changed to most bitter lamen- 

' The 5th of Ihc 7 canouical hours or half past eleven A. M.. 
' Love. 



— 10 — 

sue braccia, e con essa mi parea che se ne gisse verso 
il cielo: ond'io sostenea si grande angoscia, che lo mio 
deboletto sonno non pote sostenere, anzi si riippe, e fui 
disvegliato. Ed immantinente cominciai a pensare, e 
trovai che 1' ora , nella quale m' era questa visione ap- 
parita, era stata la quarta della notte; si che appare 
manifestamente, ch'ella fu la prima ora delle nove ul- 
time ore della notte. E pensando io a cio che m' era 
apparito, proposi di farlo sentire a molti i quali era no 
famosi trovatori in quel tempo: e con cio fosse cosa 
ch' io avessi gia veduto per me medesimo V arte del 
dire parole per rima, proposi di fare un Sonetto, nel 
quale io salutassi tutti i fedeli d*Amore, e pregandoli 
che giudicassero la mia visione, scrissi loro cio ch' io 
avea nel mio sonno veduto; e cominciai allora questo 
Sonetto: 

A ciascun' alma presa e gentil core, 
Nel cui cospetlo viene il dir presente, 
A cio che mi riscrivan suo parvente, 
Salute in lor signor, cioe Amore. 

Gia eran quasi ch'atlerzate Tore 

Del tempo ch'ogni stella e piii lucenle, 
Quando m' apparve Amor subitamente 
Cui essenza membrar mi da orrore- 

Allegro mi sembrava Amor, tenendo 

Mio core in mano, e nelle braccia avea 
Madonna, involta in un drappo dormendo. 

Poi la svegliava, e d'esto core ardendo 
Lei paventosa umilmente pascea: 
Appresso gir lo ne vedea piangendo. 

Questo Sonetto si divide in due parti: nella prima 
parte saluto, e domando risponsione; nella seconda si- 



— Il- 
lation — Weeping, he folded the Lady in his arms, and 
withher, directed his course towards heaven— Then my 
anguish became so great, that my shght slumber could 
endure no longer; nay it broke, and I was awake — I be- 
gan immediately to reflect, and found that the hour in 
which the vision had appeared to me, was the fourth 
of the night; so that it was clearly the first of the nine 
last hours of the night — Thinking on the apparition, 
I purposed making it known to many who were ce- 
lebrated Poets in those days — and as I had already dis- 
covered within myself the power of composing in Rhy- 
me, I proposed making a Sonnet, in which I might offer 
salutations to all Love's faithful subjects, and beg of 
them to give me their opinion on my Vision — I re- 
lated to them all that I had seen in my sleep, and at 
once began the following Sonnet — 

To each fond soul, and heart of courtesy , 
(Into whose sight I send this present strain 
That each may write me counsel back again) 
In Love (their liege Lord's name) all greeting be — 

That sum of hours was well nigh less by three, 
Wherein the stars most brilliancy attain, 
When Love upon my vision burst amain. 
With aspect awful e'en in memory — 

Joyous he seemed, and in his hand did bear 
My heart — while, sleeping in his arms was laid 
Madonna, wrapped in mantling draperies — 

Soon he awoke her— and in humble guise, 
Upon that burning heart, she trembling fed; 
I saw him then depart with tearful eyes — 

This Sonnet is divided into four parts ; the first con- 
tains a greeting, and asks for an answer; in the second, 



- 12 - 

gnifico a che si dee rispondere. La seconda parte comincia 
quivi: Gia eran. 

A questo Sonetto fu risposto da molti e di diverse 
sentenze, tra li quali fu risponditore quegli cui io chia- 
mo primo de' miei amici; e disse allora un Sonetto Io 
quale comincia: Vedesti al mio parere ogni valore. E 
questo fu quasi il principio dell' amista tra lui e me , 
quando egli seppe ch' io era quegli che gli avea cio 
mandato. Lo verace giudicio del detto sogno non fu ve- 
duto allora per alcuno, ma ora e manifesto alii piu 
semplici. 

Da questa visioue innanzi comincio il mio spirito 
naturale ad essere impedito nella sua operazione, pe- 
rocche 1' anima era tutta data nel pensare di questa 
gentilissima ; ond' io divenni in picciolo tempo poi di si 
frale e debole condizione, che a molti amici pesava 
delta mia vista: e molti pieni d'invidia si procacciavano 
di sapere di me quello ch' io voleva del tutto celare ad 
altrui. Ed io accorgendomi del malvagio domandare 
che mi faceano, per la volonta d'Amore, il quale mi 
comandava secondo il consiglio della ragione, rispondea 
loro, che Amore era quegli che cosi m'avea governato: 
dicea d'Amore, perocche io portava nel viso tante delle 
sue insegne, che questo non si potea ricoprire. E quando 
mi domandavano: per cui t' ha cosi distrutto questo 
Amore? ed io sorridendo li guardava, e nulla dicea 




JiuHutr^ dJ. 




r. 2VoccAi i/tc. 




y^ ~^^^/a/am^ 






— 13 — . 

/ State that to which the Answer is to he given — the se- 
cond begins " that sum of hours etc. " 

Many answers, and divers Interpretations of this 
Sonnet were returned; and amongst those who replied, 
was he, whom I call my first friend, ^ who wrote the 
Sonnet which begins thus " Vedesti al mio parere ogni 
valore " — As soon as he knew that it was I who sent 
him the above Sonnet, it became as it were the founda- 
tion of friendship between him atjd me — The real mean- 
ing of my dream, which is now manifest to the most 
simple understanding, was not then seen by any one — 

From the period of this vision, the spirit of Na- 
ture within me, began to be impeded in its functions; 
because my whole Soul was absorbed in the contempla- 
tion of that lovely person; so that in a short time, my 
state of health became so frail and tottering, that many 
of my friends were grieved at my appearance, whilst 
many other persons, from malicious motives, exerted 
themselves to find out from me, that which 1 wished al- 
together to conceal — Perceiving however the object of 
their impertinent questionings , by Love's permission 
(who guided me according to the dictates of Reason) I 
made answer, that it was Love who had so altered 
me — I said Love, because I bore in my countenance so 
many marks of his power, that it was impossible to 
conceal them ~ And when they inquired of me — On 
whose account has Love so afflicted thee? 1 smiled, and 

' Guido Cavalcanti — amongst other Poets who wrote to Dante their 
V opinions of his vision, were Cino da Pistoia , and Dante da Majano — vide 
Lippendix. 

2 



- 14 - 

loro. Un giorno avvenne, che questa gentilissima sedea 
in parte ove s' udiano parole della Regina della gloria, 
ed io era in luogo, dal quale vedea la mia beatitudine: 
e nel mezzo di lei e di me per la retla linea sedea una 
gentile donna di molto piacevole aspetto, la quale mi 
mirava spesse volte, maravigliandosi del mio sguarda- 
re, che parea che sopra lei terminasse; onde molti s'ac- 
corsero del suo mirare. Ed in tanto vi fu posto mente, 
che partendomi da questo luogo, mi sentii dire appres- 
so: " Yedi come cotale donna distrugge la persona di 
costui;" e nominandola, intesi che diceano di colei che 
in mezzo era stata nella linea retta che movea dalla 
gentilissima Beatrice, e terminava negli occhi miei. AI- 
lora mi confortai molto, assicorandomi che il mio se- 
greto non era comunicato, lo giorno, altrui per mia 
vista: ed immantinente pensai di fare di questa gentile 
donna schermo della veritade; e tanto ne mostrai in 
poco di tempo, che il mio segreto fu creduto sapere 
dalle piu persone che di me ragionavano. Con questa 
donna mi celai alquanti mesl e anni, e per piii fare 
credente altrui, feci per lei certe cosette per rima, le 
quali non e mio intendimento di scrivere qui, se non in 
quanto facessero a trattare di quella gentilissima Bea- 
trice; e pero ie lasciero tutte, salvo che alcuna cosa ne 
scrivero, che pare che sia loda di lei. Dico che in questo 
tempo che questa donna era schermo di tanto amo- 
re, quanto dalla mia parte, mi venne una volonia di 
voter ricordare il nome di quella gentilissima, ed ac- 



- 13 - 

looked at them, but held my peace — It happened one 
day, that this noble Lady was present in a place where 
persons assembled to hear the praises of the Queen Y 
of Glory, and that I was so placed as to have a view of 
her, my only felicity — In a straight line betwixt 
her and me, sat a noble Lady of most pleasing appea- 
rance, who looked at me very often, wondering at my 
fixed gaze, which seemed to terminate in her — and 
many persons took notice of her frequent looks towards 
me — ^nay, so much was thought of the matter, that on 
quitting the place, I heard those near me say; — "See 
how that Lady has destroyed his appearance ; " and 
then mentioning her name, I found that they spoke of 
the Lady, who sat in the straight line which commen- 
ced with the most lovely Beatrice, and terminated in 
my Eyes — I then felt myself much relieved, being cer- 
tain that my looks on that day had not communicated 
my secret to any one — Suddenly the thought came 
across me, of making this Lady a screen for the truth; 
and in a short time I contrived it so well, that most 
persons who thought about me, believed that they knew 
my secret — By means of this Lady I concealed my real 
passion some months and years ; and in order to make 
others believe it more flrmly, I wrote some little things 
in rhyme, which it is not my intention to transcribe 
here, except in as much as they served to treat of the 
lovely Beatrice. — In fact I shall pass them by altogether, 
unless it be to say a few words concerning them, 
which seem to be in praise of her — I say then, that 
during the time that this Lady was the screen for my 
intense love, a wish came upon me to record the name 



— 16 - 

compagnarlo di molti nomi di doone, e specialmente 
del nome di questa geatildonna; e presi i nomi di ses- 
santa le piu belle donne della cittade, ove la mia donna 
fu posta dair altissimo Sire, e composi una epistola 
sotto forma di serventese, la quale io non scrivero; e 
non n' avrei fatto menzione, se non per dire quello che 
componendola maravigliosamente addivenne, cioe che 
in alcuno altro numero non sofferse il nome della mia 
donna stare, se non in sul nove, Ira' nomi di queste 
donne. 

La donna, con la quale io avea lanto tempo celata 
la mia volonta, convenne che si partisse della sopra- 
detta cittade, e andasse in paese lontano: per che io 
quasi sbigottito della bella difesa che mi era venuta 
meno, assai me ne disconfortai piii che io medesimo, 
non avrei creduto dinanzi. E pensando che, se della 
sua partita io non parlassi alquanto dolorosamente, le 
persone sarebbero accorle piu tosto del mio nascondere, 
proposi di fame alcuna lamentanza in un Sonetto, il 
quale io scrivero, perciocche la mia donna fu imme- 
diata cagione di eerie parole, che nel Sonetto sono, 
siccome appare a chi Io intende: e allora diss! questo 
Sonetto: 

O voi che per la via d'Amore passate, 
Attendele e guardale, 



— 17 - 

of my most lovely Lady, accompanied by those of many 
others , and especially that of the above mentioned 
noble Lady ; accordingly I took the names of sixty of the 
handsomest Women of the city, in which my Lady was 
placed by the " most High " and composed an epistle 
in the form of a " Serventese* " which I shall not tran- 
scribe; and indeed I should not have mentioned it, but 
for the purpose ofrecording that, which in a marvellous 
manner occurred during its composition — namely, 
that in no other number than " nine, " would the name 
of my Lady, stand amongst those of the other Ladies^ 
She, by means of whom I had so long concealed 
my real inclination, found it necessary to leave the 
above mentioned city and go to a distant part of the 
country; wherefore, in a state of dismay at the loss of 
this beautiful '^defence," I became much more miserable 
than I could have anticipated — And thinking that if I 
did not express some sorrow at her departure , people 
would more quickly discover my secret,! purposed mak- 
ing my Lament in the form of a Sonnet, which I shall 
transcribe, because my Lady was the cause of certain 
expressions in it, as is clear to those who understand 
it— I therefore composed the following Sonnet I — 

you, that on Love's path Wayfarers bel 
Tarry and see, 

» A poetical composition either in stanzas of four, or eight, but especially 
of three lines and in rhyme. 

2 Danle makes Ihe miraculous number (9) accompany Beatrice throughout^ 
as will be seen subsequently. 

3 It is more properly a Ballad than a Sonnet, but in the lime of Dante 
ihe name of sonnet was not applied strictly to compositions of 14 Lines only, 
hut to all short poetical pieces. 



- 18 — 

S'egli 6 dolore alcuno, quanlo il mio, grave; 

E prego sol ch'audir mi sofferiate; 

E poi imaginate 

S'io son d'ogni tormento ostello e chiave. 
Amor non gia per mia poca bontale, 

Ma per sua nobiltate, 

Mi pose in vita si dolce e soave, 

Ch' io mi senlia dir dietro spesse fiate: 

Deh ! per qual dignitate 

Cosi leggiadro questi lo cor have I 
Or ho perduto lutta mia baldanza, 

Che si movea d' amoroso tesoro, 

Ond' io pover dimoro 

In guisa che di dir mi vien dottanza: 
Sicche volendo far come coloro, 

Che per vergogna celan lor raancanza, 

Di fuor mostro allegranza, 

E denlro dallo cor mi struggo e ploro. 

Questo Sonetto ha due parti principali: che nella 
prima intendo chiamare i fedeli d' Amove per quelle pa- 
role di Geremia profeta: vos omnes, qui transitis per 
viam, attendite et videte, si est dolor sicut dolor meus; 
e pregare che mi sofferino c?' udire. Nella seconda narro 
Id ove Amove m' avea postOy con allvo intendimenlo che 
V estreme parti del Sonetto non mostrano: e dice cid che 
io ho perduto. La seconda parte comincia quivi: Amor 
non gia. 



-- 19 - 

If any Grief can unto mine compare.— 

I pray you only hear me patiently, 

And then, acknowledge me , 
^ — The Key and Homestead, of all pangs that are, 
Love, not for that small worth which dwelt in me, 

But of his own nobility, 

Set me amid a Life so sweet and fair. 

That I heard say behind me, frequently, 

" For what high quality, 

Does he possess a heart so void of care ? " 
Now, have I lost that ancient fearlesness. 

Which from Love's inward treasures used to flow, 

And sadly poor I go, 

So that I dare not speak, for bashfulness— 
Willing to do like those, who with much shew. 

Conceal their poverty for shame, I dress 

My face in Mirthfulness, 

While in my heart, I weep and writhe for Woe.— 

This Sonnet has two principal divisions; in the first 
1 mean to call upon the Subjects of Love , in the words 
of the Prophet Jeremiah: " Vos omnes, qui transitis 
per viam, atlendiie et videte, si sit dolor sicut dolor 
mens " — "0 ye who pass along this way, stop and 
see if there be any grief like unto mine: " and I entreat 
them to give me a hearing; in the second. I describe the 
situation in which Love had placed me, in a sense diffe- 
rent from that which the close of the Sonnet expresses, I 
also speak of that which I have lost. The second division 
begins: « Love, not for that.... » etc. 



' Strange as these expressions may appear to an English Ear , such is 
(heir strength that I could not avoid translating them literally — The word 
<i Key » as applied to pain is as intelligible as Key to knowledge etc. 



— 20 — 

Appresso il partire di questa gentildonna, fu pia- 
cere del Signore degli Angeli di chiamare alia sua glo- 
ria una donna giovane e di genlile aspelto molto, la 
quale fu assai graziosa in questa sopradetta citlade; lo 
cui corpo io vidi giacere senza Fanima in mezzo di 
molte donne, le quali piangevano assai pietosamente. 
Allora ricordandomi che gia 1' avea veduta fare compa- 
gnia a quella gentilissima, non potei sostenere alquante 
lagrime; anzi piangendo mi proposi di dire alquante 
parole della sua morte in guidardone di cio che alcuna 
fiata r avea vedula con la mia donna. E di cio toccai 
alcuna cosa nell' ultima parte delle parole che io ne 
dissi, siccome appare manifestamente a chi le intende: 
e dissi allora questi due Sonetti, dei quali comincia il 
primo Piangete amanti; il secondo Morte villana. 

Piangele amanti, poiche piange Amore, 
Udendo qual cagion lui fa plorare: 
Amor sente a pieta donne chiamare 
Mostrando amaro duol per gli occhi fuore; 

Perche villana morte in gentil core 
Ha messo il suo crudele adoperare, 
Guastando cio che al raondo e da laudare 
In gentil donna, fuora dell' onore. 

Udite quant' Amor le fece orranza; 

Ch' io '1 vidi lamentare in forma vera 
Sovra la morla iramagine avvenente: 

E riguardava ver lo ciel sovente, 
Ove r alma gentil gia locata era, 
Che donna fu di si gaia sembianza. 

Questo primo Sonetto si divide in tre parti. Nella 
prima chiamo e sollecito i fedeli d' Amore a piangere; e 
dico che lo Signore loro piange, e che tidendo la cagione 



— 21 — 

Soon after the departure of this noble Lady, it pleased 
the Lord of the Angels to call to Glory, a very hands- 
ome young Lady, much esteemed in the above men- 
tioned City: and I saw her body (bereft of its soul), 
lying in the midst of many females, "who wept over 
it lovingly; and calling to mind, that I had often seen 
her in the company of my most noble Lady, I could 
not refrain from shedding tears. Nay , in the act of 
weeping, I proposed saying a few words, on the occa- 
sion of her decease, as a return for having sometimes 
seen her in the Company of my Lady. — In the latter 
part of what I wrote, I slightly touched upon this, as 
is plain to those who understand my lines ; and I 
then made these two Sonnets : the first , beginning 
" Piangete amanti " and the second " Morle villana. " 

Weep, Lovers! weep — since that Love sorrowing lies. 
Weep, when the subject of his grief you hear. 
The piteous cries of Women strike his ear, 
With bitter woe depicted in their eyes; 

Because fell Death had used his energies 
Against a noble heart; and in such wise. 
That he destroyed whate'er the world holds dear, 
In gentle Woman, save her honour's prize. 

Behold the homage rendered her by Love! 
As weeping o'er that fair but lifeless face 
He in corporeal shape , by me was seen — 

And oft he turned his eyes to Heaven above. 
Where that blest Soul had found a resting-place: — 
That Soul , a Woman once of beauteous mien. 

This first Sonnet is divided into three parts ; in the 
first I call upon and earnestly solicit Love's subjects to 
weep,' I say that their Lord is weeping, and that having 



_ 22 — 

perch' e' piange , si acconcino piu ad ascoltarmi. Nella 
seconda narro la cagione: nella terza parlo d' alcuno 
onore che Amove fees a questa donna. La seconda parte 
comincia quivi: Amor senle; la terza quivi: Udite. 

Morte villana, di pieta nemica, 

Di dolor madre antica, 

Giudicio incontrastabile gravoso, 

Poi cli'hai data materia al cor doglioso, 

Ond' io vado pensoso , 

Di te biasmar la lingua s' afTatica. 
E se di grazia ti vuoi far raendica, 

Convenesi ch' io dica 

Lo luo fallir d' ogni torto tortoso, 

Nou pero ch' alia gente sia nascoso , 

Ma per fame cruccioso 

Chi d' amor per innanzi si nutrica. 
Dal secolo hai parti to cortesia, 

E cio, che in donna e da pregiar, virtude; 

In gaia gioventude 

Distrutta hai 1' araorosa leggiadria. 
Piu non vo'discovrir qual donna sia, 

Che per le proprieta sue conosciute: 

Chi non merta salute 

Non speri mai d' aver sua compagnia. 

Questo Soneito si divide in quattro parti. Nella 
prima chiamo la Morte per certi suoi nomi proprii: 
nella seconda parlando a lei dico la ragione perch' io 
mi movo a biasimarla: nella terza la vitupero: nella 



— 23 - 

heard the cause of his griefs they will be the more ready 
to listen to me — In the second part I relate the cir- 
cumstances; and in the third I speak of an honor paid 
by Love to this Lady — the second part begins " Woman's 
lament " and, the third " Behold the homage " etc. 

cruel Death! Pity's unwearied foe! 

Most ancient Sire of Woe! 

Decree, inevitable — stern — ! since thou 

Such grief hast caused in my sad heart, that now 

I do in Sorrow bow, 

My striving tongue reproach on thee shall throw. — 
To shew thee cruel, merciless, I need 

To mention here, thy deed, 

Thy crime of crimes, thy wrong most tortuous, 

Not that it hidden lies — but I would rouse 

Disdainful ire in those 

Who may in future chance on Love to feed — 
From this our age thou'st driven Courtesy, 

And Virtue, which in women most we praise, 

In it's gay youthful days, 

Heart-stirring Beauty has been felled by thee — 
But who this fair one is I'll not explain 

More than that Grace reveals, which was her own— 
^ Those meet for heaven alone. 

May hope to join her company again. — 

This Sonnet is divided into four parts. — In the 
first I call on Death by some of his peculiar appellations. 
— In the second I address him and state the reason 
which urges me to reproach him. — In the third I re- 

' The two last Lines do not allude to (he deceased Lady for whom the 
Ballad was written , but to Beatrice , as Dante himself has signified in the 
preceeding page. 



— 24 — 

quarta mi volgo a parlare a indiffinita persona, awe- 
gnache quanto al mio intendimento sia diffinita. La se- 
conda parte comincia quivi: Poi ch' hai data; la terza 
quivi: E se di grazia; la quarta quivi: Chi non merta. 

Appresso la morte di qiiesta donna alquanti di, 
avvenne cosa, per la quale mi convenne partire della 
sopradelta cittade, ed ire Yerso quelle parti ov'era la 
gentil donna ch'era stata mia difesa, avvegnache non 
tanto lontano fosse lo termine del mio andare, quanto 
ella era. E tuttoche io fossi alia compagnia di molti, 
quanto alia vista, V andare mi dispiacea si che quasi li 
sospiri non poteano disfogare 1' angoscia che il cuore 
senlia, pero ch' io mi dilungava dalla mia bealitudine. 
E pero lo dolcissimo Signore, il quale mi signoreggiava 
per virtu della gentilissima donna, nella mia immagi- 
nazione apparve come peregrino leggermente vestito, e 
di vili drappi. Egii mi parea sbigottito, e guardava la 
terra, salvo che talvolta mi parea che \i suoi occhi si 
volgessero ad uno fiume hello, corrente e chiarissimo, 
il quale sen gia lungo questo cammino la ove io era. 
A me parve che Amore mi chiamasse e dicessemi que- 
ste parole: "Io vengo da quella donna, la quale e stata 
lunga sua difesa, e so che il suo ri venire non sara; e 
pero quel cuore ch' io ti facea avere da lei, io V ho 
meco, e portolo a donna, la quale sara tua difensione 
come questa era ( e nomollami si ch' io la conobbi 
bene). Ma tutlavia di queste parole ch'io t' ho ragio- 



— 25 - 

vile him — in the fourth I speak as to a person undefi- 
ned, although to my mind he is perfectly so. — The 
second part begins, " Since thou such Grief " etc. — 
the third " To shew thee etc.'' the fourth " Those meet 
for heaven etc. " 

A few days after the death of this Lady, a circum- 
stance happened, which obhged me to quit the above 
mentioned City, and go in the direction in which the 
noble Lady who had been my Screen, lived; — but the 
limit of my journey did not extend so far as where she 
was — And although I was, to all appearance, in com- 
pany with many other persons, the journey made me 
so wretched, that even my sighs could not dissipate the 
anguish of my heart at absenting myself from my all 
of happiness — Moreover, my most gentle Master, who 
ruled over me by virtue of my most lovely Lady, ap- 
peared to me in my Imagination, as a Pilgrim, scan- 
tily clad in the commonest possible Garments — He 
looked desponding and kept his eyes fixed on the 
Ground; save that, at times, he seemed to cast a look 
towards a beautiful and clear river which ran parallel 
with the road on which I was — I thought that he ad- 
dressed me, and said the following words — "I come 
from that Lady who has so long been a defence for 
thee, and I know that she will not return; wherefore 
I now have with me that heart which I gave thee to 
wear in her presence, and am carrying it to a Lady, 
who shall be a screen for thee, as she was" — (and 
here he mentioned her name , so that I knew perfectly 
well who she was) — " But nevertheless, should you 



- 26 - 

nate, se alcune ne dicessi, dille per modo che per loro 
non si discernesse lo simulato amore che hai mostrato 
a questa, e che ti converra mostrare ad altrui." E delte 
queste parole, disparve tulta questa mia immaginazione 
subitamente, per la grandissima parte che mi parve 
ch' Amore mi desse di se: e quasi cambiato nella vista 
mia cavalcai quel giorno pensoso molto, e accompa- 
gnato da molti sospiri. Appresso lo giorno cominciai 
questo Sonetto: 

Cavalcando 1' altr' ier per un cammino 
Pensoso dell' andar che mi sgradia, 
Trovai Amore in mezzo della via 
In abito leggier di peregrino. 

Nella sembianza mi parea meschino, 
Come avesse perduto signoria, 
E sospirando pensoso venia, 
Per non veder la gente, a capo chino. 

Quando mi vide, mi chiamo per nome, 
E disse: io vegno di lontana parte, 
Ov' era lo tuo cor per mio volere, 

E recolo a servir novo piacere. 
Allora presi di lui si gran parte, 
Ch'egli disparve, e non m'accorsi come. 

Questo Sonetto ha tre parti. Nella prima parte dico 
siccome io trovai Amore ^ e qual mi parea: nella seconda 






— 27 - 

repeat any part of what I have said to you, do it in 
such a way, that others may not discover the pre- 
tended love which you shewed to her, and which it 
will now be necessary for you to profess to another. " 
Having said these words, my imaginary vision disap- 
peared all at once, in consequence of the great portion 
of himself which Love had infused into me. * and 
I rode all that day totally altered in appearance, and 
in a state of melancholy, giving vent to frequent Sighs. 
Next day I began the following Sonnet. — 

As pensive on my tedious journey sped, 
Onwards I rode, the morn 'ere yesterday; 
I did encounter Love upon the way , — 
In scanty pilgrim's garments habited. — 

In look, he seemed lo be one lowly bred, 
And quite bereft of all his lordly sway. ~ 
Sighing, dejected, he did onwards stray, 
Shunning the folk around, with downcast head — 

Soon as he saw, by name he called on me. 

And " I am come from far, " ('twas thus he spake) 
" Where at my bidding dwelt thy heart 'erewhile " 

" I bring it thence to serve another's smile " — 
Then of his being, I such part did take. 
That straight he vanished; how I could not see. 

This Sonnet has three parts — in the first 1 de- 
scribe my meeting with Love, and in what form he ap- 

« I tahe the meaning of this passage to be this — melancholy at the loss 
of the Lady, and disgusted wilh his journey, Love appeared to Dante and 
pointed out another Lady as a screen for his real passion — ■ and before Love 
quilted him, he infused so much of himself into him (Dante), thai is the 
Love of Beatrice came so strongly over him, that the vision vanished, and 
he remained changed in appearance and melancholy the whole day. 



— 28 - 

dico quello cK egli mi disse, avvegnache non compiuta- 
mente, per tema cK io avea di discovrire to mio segreto: 
nella terza dico com' egli disparve. La seconda comincia 
quivi: Quando mi vide; la terza quivi: Allora presi. 

Appresso la mia tornata, mi misi a cercare di 
questa donna, che lo mio signore m' avea nominata nel 
camraino de' sospiri. Ed acciocche il mio parlare sia 
piu breve, dico che in poco tempo la feci mia difesa 
tanto, che troppa gente ne ragionava oltra li termini 
della cortesia; onde molte fiale mi pesava duramente. 
E per questa cagione, cioe di questa soverchievole vo- 
ce, che parea che m' infamasse viziosamente, quella 
gentilissima, la quale fu distruggitrice di tutti i vizj, e 
regina delle virtu, passando per alcuna parte mi nego 
il suo dolcissimo salutare, nel quale stava tulta la mia 
beatitudine. Ed uscendo alquanto del proposito presente, 
voglio dare ad intendere quello che il suo salutare in 
me virtuosamente operava. Dico che quando ella ap- 
paria da parte alcuna, per la speranza dell' ammirabile 
salute, nullo nemico mi rimanea, anzi mi giungea una 
fiamma di caritade, la quale mi facea perdonare a 
chiunque m'avesse offeso: e chi allora m' avesse addi- 
mandato di cosa alcuna, la mia risponsione sarebbe 
stata solamente Amore con viso vestilo d' umilta. E 
quando ella fosse alquanto propinqua al salutare, uno 
spirito d' Amore distruggendo tutti gli altri spirit! sen- 
sitivi, pingea fuori i debolelti spiriti del viso, e dicea 
loro: " Andate ad onorare la donna vostra; " ed egli si 
rimanea nel loco loro. E chi avesse voluto conoscere 



— 29 — 

feared — In the second, 1 repeat what he said to me , 
but not fully, for fear of discovering my secret; in the 
third I shew how he disappeared — the second part he- 
gins " Soon as he saw etc. " the third " Then of his 
being, " etc. — 

Soon after ray return, I set myself to find out the 
Lady, whom my Master had named to me on the rgad 
of Sighs — and, in order to he brief, I will only say, 
that in a short lime, I made so excellent a screen of 
her, thai many persons so far exceeded the bounds of 
Courtesy in speaking on the subject, that it weighed 
heavily upon me — and in consequence of the exaggera- 
ted reports, in which it appeared that I had been grossly 
defamed, my most noble Lady, the Enemy of all vice 
and the Queen of all virtue, denied me her most grace- 
ful Salutation as she passed me, in which alone all 
my happiness consisted — And diverging a little from 
my present subject, I would endeavour to make intelli- 
gible,the power with which her Salutation operated upon 
me — I say then, that wherever she appeared, the hope 
of receiving her adorable Salutation effaced all enmity 
within me; nay, a flame of charity pervaded me, which 
caused me to pardon every one who had given me 
offence — and if at that time any one had demanded 
any thing of me, my only answer would have been 
(with my countenance clothed in humility) ^'Love" — 
And when she was on the point of offering me her Sa- 
lutation, a Spirit of love, destroying all the other Spi- 
rits of the Senses, drove out the weak Spirits of Vision, 
saying "Go and honor your Lady," and he ^ remained 

> The Spirit of Love. 

3* 



- 30 — 

Amore, far lo potea mirando io tremore degli occhi 
miei. E quando questa gentilissima donna salutava, non 
che x4more fosse tal mezzo che potesse obumbrare a 
me la intoilerabiie beatitudine, ma egli quasi per so- 
verchio di dolcezza divenia tale, che Io mio corpo, lo 
quale era tulto sotto il suo reggimento, molte volte si 
movea come cosa grave inanimata: sicche appare ma- 
nifestamente, che nella sua salute abitava la mia bea- 
titudine, la quale molte volte passava e redundava la 
mia capacitade. 

Ora, tornando al proposito, dico che, poiche la mia 
beatitudine mi fu negata, mi giunse tanto dolore, che 
partitomi dalle genti, in solinga parte andai a bagnarela 
terra d'amarissime lagrime: e poiche alquanto mi fu sol- 
levato questo lagrimare, misimi nella mia camera la ove 
potea lamentarmi senza essere udito. E quivi chiamando 
misericordia alia donna delta cortesia, e dicendo: "Amo- 
re, aiuta il tuofedele" ra' addormentai come un par- 
goletto battuto lagrimando. Avvenne quasi nel mezzo 
del mio dormire, che mi parea vedere nella mia camera 
lungo me sedere un giovane vestito di bianchissime ve- 
stimenta, e pensando molto. Quanto alia vista sua mi 
riguardava la ov' io giacea; e quando m' avea guardato 
alquanto , pareami che sospirando mi chiamasse , e 
dicessemi queste parole: Fili mi, tempus est ut prceter- 
millantur simulata nostra. AUora mi parea ch' io '1 co- 
noscessi, perocche mi chiamava cosi come assai fiate 
nelli miei sonni m' avea gia chiamato. E riguardandolo 



— 31 - 

in their place; ^ and if any one had a desire to recognize 
Love, he might have done so, by observing the tremor 
of my eyes — And when this beauteous one saluted me, 
Love had not indeed the power to conceal from me such 
intolerable happiness, but through excess of dehght,he 
became such, that my Body (which was entirely under 
his governance) moved oftentimes, as if it were a heavy 
inanimate substance; hence it appears manifest, that all 
my happiness dwelt in her Salutation , which very 
often surpassed and overwhelmed my power of endu- 
rance. 

Returning to my subject, I say, that my happiness 
being denied me , I was seized with such violent 
Grief, that quitting my companions I retired to a 
solitary spot, there to bathe the earth with my most 
bitter tears — When relieved a little by this outpouring 
of my sorrow, I went to my Chamber, where I could la- 
ment, without being overheard — And then, calling 
on the Lady of Mercy, and saying " O Love, help 
thou thy faithful servant," I fell asleep, like a beaten 
child in the midst of tears — Towards the middle of my 
Sleep, I seemed to see in my Chamber a young man, 
dressed in the whitest Garments, with a deep pensive air, 
sitting beside me. — 

He fixed his eyes upon me as I lay, and after looking 
at me some time, he seemed to sigh and address me in 
the following words, " Fili mi , (empus est ut prceter- 
mittantur simulata nostra " — ^^ My Son, it is time to 
lay aside all our pretences" — I then thought that I knew 

' The Eyes. 



— 32 — 

mi parea die piangesse pietosamente, e parea che at- 
tendesse da me alcuna parola: ond'io assicurandomi, 
cominciai a parlarecosi con esso: "Signore della nobil- 
tade, perche piangi tu?" E quegli mi dicea queste pa- 
role: Ego tanquam centrum circuit, cui simili modo se 
habent circumferentice partes; tu autem non sic, Allora 
pensand^ alle sue parole, mi parea, che mi avesse par- 
lato molto oscuro, si che io mi sforzava di parlare, e 
diceagli queste parole: "Ch'e cio, Signore, che tu mi 
parli con tanta scurilade?" E quegli mi dicea in parole 
volgari: "Non dimandar piu che util ti sia." E pero co- 
minciai con lui a ragionare della salute, la quale mi 
fu negata; e domandaiio della cagione; onde in questa 
guisa da lui mi fu risposlo: " Quella nostra Beatrice udio 
da certe persone, di te ragionando, che la donna, la 
quale io ti nominal nel camino de'sospiri, ricevea da 
te alcuna noia. E pero questa gentilissima, la quale e 
contraria di tutte le noie non degno salutare la tua 
persona, temendo non fosse noiosa. Onde conciossiaco- 
sache veracemenle sia conosciuto per lei alquanlo Io 
tuo segreto per lunga consuetudine, voglio che tu dica 
certe parole per rima, nelle quali tu comprenda la 
forza ch'io tegno sovra te per lei, e come tu fosti suo 
tostamente dalla tua puerizia: e di cio chiama tesli- 



- 33 - 

him, because he had given me the same appellation, 
as he had often done before , during my sleep — 
And turning my eyes towards him, he appeared to be 
weeping bitterly, and to expect a reply from me; 
wherefore, feeling somewhat reassured, I began to 
speak thus " Noble sir why dost thou weep? " and he 
replied in these words. "■ Ego tanquam centrum circuli, 
cut simili modo se habent circumferentice partes ; tu 
autem non sic. " — "I am as it were the centre of 
a circle to which all portions of the circumference 
bear the same relation; but thou art not so. " — 
Reflecting on his words, he seemed to me to have 
spoken very obscurely, in so much that I made an 
effort to speak, and uttered the following words. — "What 
is it Sir, which thou hast said to me so obscurely?" 
and he replied in ordinary Language. " Inquire no 
further than it is useful for thee to know. " — I then 
began to converse with him respecting the salutation 
which had been denied me, and asked the cause of the 
refusal; to which he answered as follows, " Our Lady 
Beatrice, conversing with certain persons concerning 
thee, heard that the young Lady whom I named to 
thee on the road of sighs, had received some annoyance 
from thee; and as this most noble person is the 
enemy of all impropriety, she did not condescend to 
salute thee, fearing that she also might be annoyed. 
— Wherefore although from long intimacy with thee, 
she does in fact know something of thy secret, it is 
my will, that thou indite certain words in rhyme, 
setting forth the power which I have over thee through 
her, aud how from thy very childhood thou wast 



- 34 — 

monio colui, che 'i sa; e come tu preghi lai che glie le 
dica: ed io, che sono quelle, volenlieri le ne ragionero; 
e per questo sentira ella la tua volontade, la quale 
sentendo, conoscera le parole degl' ingannati. Queste 
parole fa' che sieno quasi d' uno mezzo, si che tu non 
parli a lei immediatamente, che non e degno. E non le 
mandare in parte alcuna senza me, onde potessero es- 
sere intese da lei, ma falle adornare di soave armonia, 
nella quale io saro tutte le volte che fara mestieri. " E 
dette queste parole, disparve, e Io mio sonno fu rotto. 
Ond' io ricordaudomi, trovai che questa visione m'era 
apparita nella nona ora del di; e anzi che io uscissi di 
questa camera, proposi di fare una Ballata, nella quale 
seguitassi cio che '1 mio Signore m' avea imposto, e feci 
questa Ballata. 

Ballata, io vo' che tu ritruovi Amore, 
E con lui vadi a Madonna davanti, 
Sicche la scusa mia, la qual tu canti, 
Bagioni pot con lei Io mio Signore. 

Tu vai, Ballata, si cortesemente , 
Che senza compagnia 
Dovresti in tutte parti avere ardire; 
Ma se tu vuogli andar sicuramente, 
Bitrova I'Amor pria, 
Che forse non e buon sanza lui gire; 
Perocche quella, che ti dehbe udire, 
Se, com'io credo, 6 inver di me adirata, 
E tu di lui non fossi accompagnata, 
Leggeramenle ti faria disnore. 



— 35 - 

her's. — And call as thy witness him, who knows the 
fact; and say, how thou prayest him to tell her these 
things; and I am he, who will gladly speak to her 
of these matters — thus will she become acquainted 
with thy desire; and having learnt it, will understand 
the expressions of those, who were deceived respecting 
thee— moreover, Avrite these things in such a manner, 
as not to be addressed to her personally, for that 
would be improper; and send them nowhere without 
me, so that she may fully comprehend them — and 
let them be adorned with the sweetest harmony, in 
which, whenever it shall be necessary I shall be pre- 
sent. " — Having thus spoken he disappeared, and my 
sleep was broken — On reflection I find, that this Vi- 
sion appeared to me on the ninth hour of the day , and 
before quitting my chamber I determined on composing 
a Ballad, in which all that my Master had imposed 
upon me, should be said — and I made the following 
one. 

Go seek for Love, I charge ihee Ballad, go, 
And wend with him unto my Lady fair; 
That thus, my Lord may offer unto her 
The same defence which now thy Song doth shew. 

Thou movest , Ballad mine, so courteously, 
That though alone thou rov^, 
Thou may'stin every place be void of fear — 
Yet wouldst thou journey in security, 
Go first and seek out Love; 
T'were wrong perhaps to move till he be near — 
For she, who should unto Ihy voice give ear, 
(If, as meseemelh, she be wroth with me, 
And that thou be not in her company) 
May chance lo shame thee, when Ihoudost appear — 



- 36 — 

Con dolce suoiio quando se' con lui^ 
Comincia este parole, 
Appi esso ch' averai chiesla pielale : 
Madonna, quegli die mi manda a vui, 
Quando vi piaccia, Yuole, 
Sed egli ha scusa, che la m'intendiale. 
Amore e quel che per vostra beltate 
Lo face, come Yuol, vista cangiare: 
Dunque, perche gli fece allra guardare, 
Pensatel voi, daccli' e' non muto'l core. 

Dille: Madonna, lo suo ciiore e stato 
Con si fermata fede, 
Ch'a voi servir lo pronta ogni pensiero: 
Tosto fu vostro , e mat non s' e smagato. 
Sed ella non tel crede, 
Di' che domandi Amor, che ne sa '1 vero; 
Ed alia fine falle umil preghiero, 
Lo perdonare se le fosse a noia, 
Che mi comandi per messo ch' io raoia, 
E vedrassi ubbidire al servitore. 

E di' a colui ch' e d' ogni pieta chiave, 
Avanli che sdonnei, 
Che le sapra contar mia ragion buona: 
Per grazia della mia nota soave 
Rimanti qui con lei, 
E del tuo servo cio che vuoi ragiona; 
E s' ella per luo prego gli perdona, 
Fa' che gli annunzi in bel sembianle pace. 
Gen til Ballata mia, quando ti place, 
Muovi in tal punto, che.tu n' aggi onore. 

Questa Ballata in tre parti si divide. Nella prima 
dico a lei ov' ella vada, e confortola perocche vada piu 



— 37 — 

But joined with him, these words in cadence sweet 
Begin at once to say, 

(First having prayed her kind Indulgency) , 
^^ Madonna, he that sends me, doth intreat 
Your pleasure, that he may 

Make his defence (if such he have) through me — 
T'is Love, who for your Beauty's radiancy, 
Compels at will, his servant's eyes to rove — 
But with the heart unchanged, you see why Love, 
Hath tow'rds another made his glances veer. " 

Say too, — ^^ Madonna, his fond heart hath stayed 
In such fidelity. 

That every thought prompts him to serve but you; 
Your's he became full soon, and ne'er hath strayed " 
If she believe not thee. 

Bid her ask Love, who knoweth what is true. — 
Lastly a humble prayer prefer thou too, 
For pardon, if thou speaks't offensively; 
Let her but bid me die, and she shall see 
Her servant's true obedience then appear. — 

And say to him,^ who is compassion's key, 
(Ere he, my Lady quit again 
By whom alone my suit can well be pressed) 
^ For the sweet sake of my soft harmony 
" Do thou with her remain , 
And of thy servant speak, as seems thee best — 
And if she pardon him at thy request, 
Bid her with gracious looks send words of Peace " 
Sweet Ballad! time thy going, if thou please, 
So wisely, as to win thee honor there — 

This Ballad is divided into three parts. — In the 
first, I tell it where to go; and console and advise it, so 

« Love. 

2 These lines « and /or (he sake etc. » as far as n pf^ords of Peace 
are addressed by the Ballad itself lo Love. 



— 38 - 

sicura; e dico nella cui compagnia si metta se vuole secu- 
ramente andare, e senza pericolo alcuno. "Nella seconda 
dico quello, che a lei s' appartiene di fare intendere, 
Nella terza la licenzio del give quando vuole , raccoman- 
dando lo suo movimento nelle braccia della fortuna. La 
seconda parte comincia quivi: Con dolce suono. La terza 
quivi: Gentil Ballata. Potrebbe gid V uomo opporre con- 
tra me e dire, che non sapesse a cui fosse il mio parlare 
in seconda persona , perocche la ballata non e altro che 
queste parole cK io parlo: e per 6 dico che questo dubbio 
io lo intendo solvere e dichiarare in questo libello ancora 
in parte piu dubbiosa: ed allora intenda chi qui dubbia, 
chi qui volesse opporre in questo modo, 

Appresso questa soprascritta visione, avendo gia 
dette le parole che Amore m' avea imposto di dire, 
m' incominciarono molti e diversi pensamenti a com- 
battere, e a tentare ciascuno quasi indefensibilmente: 
Ira' quali pensamenti quattro m' ingombravano piu il 
riposo della vita. L'uno de' quali era questo: '^Buona e 
la signoria d' Amore, perocche trae lo intendimento del 
suo fedele da tutte le vili cose." V altro era questo : "Non 
buona e la signoria d' Amore, perocche quanto lo suo 
fedele piu fede gli porta, tanto piu gravi e dolorosi 
pnnti gli conviene passare." L'altro era questo: "Lo nome 
d' Amore e si dolce a udire, che impossibile mi pare, 
che la sua operazione sia nelle piu cose altro che dolce, 
conciossiacosache i nomi seguitino le nominate cose, 
siccome e scritto: Nomina sunt consequentia rerum." Lo 



mk 



— 39 — 

that it may go with more confidence; and I also tell it 
in whose Company to place itself, if it would go safely 
and without risk — In the second, 1 state that which it 
is its duty to explain — Jn the third, I gix^e it liberty to 
go where it pleases, commending it's progress to the arms 
of Fortune — the second part begins " But joined with 
him etc, " the third " Sweet ballad etc. " — Some one 
may raise an objection, and say, that he cannot under- 
stand, who it is that 1 address in the second person , 
since the ballad itself consists only of the words which I 
am speaking — / say therefore, that it is my intention 
to solve and clear up this doubt, in another part of this 
little book, which is perhaps more doubtful; and then let 
him who doubts, or objects in the above manner, under- 
stand both more clearly — 

Soon after the above described Vision, having writ- 
ten the Lines which Love had ordered me to compose, 
many and diverse thoughts began to contend within 
me — Amongst the number four especially disturbed the 
repose of my Life — The following was one of them — 
" Love's Mastery is good, because it draws away the 
Inclinations of his subjects from every thing vile " — 
Another was, " Love's Mastery is not good, because the 
greater the obedience of his subiects, the more grievous 
and distressing the situations through which they must 
pass " — Another was '^ The Name of Love is so plea- 
sing to the ear, that it appears to me impossible, 
that his operation in most things, should be otherwise 
than pleasurable , considering also, that names follow 
the things named, as it is written ^^ Nomina sunt conse- 
quentia rerum" — Names are the consequents of things" 



— 40 — 

quarto era questo: " La donna per cui Amore ti stringe 
cosi, non e come le aitre donne, che leggermente si 
mova del suo cuore. " E ciascuno mi combatlea tanto, 
che mi facea stare come colui, che non sa per qual via 
pigli ii suo cammino, e che Tuole andare, e non sa 
onde si vada. E se io pensava di voler cercare una co- 
mune via di costoro, cioe la ove tulti si accordassero, 
questa via era molto inimica verso di me, cioe di chia- 
mare e mettermi nelle braccia della pieta. Ed in questo 
stato dimorando, mi giunse volonta di scriverne parole 
rimate, e dissine allora questo Sonetto: 

Tutti 11 raiei pensier parlan d'Amore, 
Ed hanno in lor si gran varietate. 
Ch' altro mi fa voler sua potestate , 
Allro folle ragiona 11 suo valore : 

Altro sperando m'apporta dolzore, 
Altro planger mi fa spesse fiate: 
E sol s' accordano in chleder pielate, 
Tremando di paura ch'e nel core; 

Ond'lo non so da qual materia prenda; 
E vo! rei dire, e non so ch'io mi dlca: 
Cosi mi trovo in amorosa erranza. 

E se con tuttl vo' fare accordanza, 
Convenemi chiamar la mia nemica, 
Madonna la Pieta, che mi dlfenda. 

Questo Sonetto in quattro parti si pud dividere. 
Nella prima dico e propongo, che tutti i miei pensieri 
sono d'Amore. Nella seconda dico, che sono diversi, e 
narro la loro diversitade, Nella terza dico in che tutti 
pare che s' accordino. Nella quarta dico che volendo dire 



— 41 - 

— The fourth was this; " The Lady to whom Love has 
attached you so strongly, is not like others, whose hearts 
are easy to be moved " — and each of these combatted 
me so violently, ttiat they made me stand still, like one 
who knows not which way his road lies; anxious to 
proceed, but ignorant as to the path he should take — 
And I felt an inclination to follow a direction common 
to them all, (i. e) in which they might all agree; which 
was, to invoke and throw myself into the arms of Pity, — 
a course most unpleasant to me — During my conti- 
nuance in this state, the desire came upon me to write 
some rhymes, and I composed the following Sonnet — 

Love is the subject of mine every thought; 
And they such great diversity display, 
That one doth make me own his sovereign sway, 
Another calls his power a dream distraught. 

One brings the sweetness which by hope is wrought, 
And one full often gives my teardrops way ; 
For pity only they agree to pray, 
Quaking for fear wherewith my heart is fraught. 

So that I know not which of them to take — 
Fain would I speak, but know not what I say, 
And love bewildered, in confusion stand — 

To make them all unite in peaceful Band, , 

I needs must call upon mine Enemy, 
The Lady Pity, my Defence to make — 

This Sonnet may he divided into three parts — In 
the first Hay down the proposition, that all my thoughts 
are of Love — In the second J say , that they are di- 
scordant, and state their discrepancy — In the third, I 
mention that in which they all agree — In the fourth , 

4* 



— 42 — 

d' Amove, non so da quale pigli materia; e se la voglio 
pigliare da tulti, conviene che io chiami la mia nemica, 
madonna la Pield. Dico Madonna, quasi per isdegnoso 
modo di parlare. La seconda comincia quivi: Ed hanno 
in lor. La terza: E sol s' accordan. La quarta: Ond'io. 
Appresso la battaglia delli diversi pensieri, avven- 
ne, che quesla genlilissima venne in parte ove molte 
donne gentili erano adunate ; alia qual parte io fni con- 
dotto per arnica persona, credendosi fare a me gran 
piacere in quanto mi menava la ove tante donne mo- 
stravano le loro bellezze. Ond' io quasi non sapendo a 
che fossi menato, e fidandomi nella persona, la quale 
un suo amico all' estremita delta vita condotto avea, 
dissi: "Perche semo noi venuti a queste donne?" Allora 
quegii mi disse: " Per fare si ch' elle sieno degnamentc 
servile/' E to vero e che adunate quivi erano alia com- 
pagnia d'una gentildonna, che disposata era Io giorno; 
e pero secondo I'usanza della sopradetta cittade, con- 
veniva che le facessero compagnia nel primo sedere alia 
mensa che facea nella magione del suo novello sposo. 
Si che io credendomi far il piacere di questo amico, 
proposi di stare al servizio delle donne nella sua com- 
pagnia. E nel fine del mio proponimento mi parve sen- 
tire un mirabile tremore incominciare nel mio petto 
dalla sinistra parte, e stendersi di subito per tutte le 



- 43 - 

/ say that wishing to speak of Love , / know not from 
ivhich to draw my materials; hut if 1 would take them 
from all united, I must needs call upon mine Enemy , 
the Lady of Pity — / say Lady, in a tone of disdain — 
the second part begins " And they such etc. " the third 
" For pity only etc. " — the fourth, " So that I know 
not, " 

After this contest with my discordant thoughts, it 
happened that my most charming Lady was present , 
where many other noble Ladies were assembled toge- 
ther — I was introduced by a friend, who thought to 
do me a great favour, by taking me where so much 
female Beauty was to be seen. But I, scarcely conscious, 
why I was to be introduced, and confiding in this per- 
son, * who had been put in danger of his Life by one 
of his friends, asked , " Why are we come to visit 
these Ladies? " he replied " in order that they may 
be attended in a manner worthy of them " — the 
truth is, that they were all assembled around a young 
Lady, who had been married on that day; the custom 
of the above mentioned city, being, that she should be 
so accompanied on taking her place for the first time , 
in the house of her Bridegroom — So, thinking to 
please my friend, I determined to accompany him in 
his attendance on these Ladies — No sooner had I come 
to this determination, than I seemed to feel a wonderful 
tremor, which beginning in my left breast , quickly 

> I have been unable to find any one capable of giving such an interpretation 
of this passagej as should suggest a reason, why Dante should especially 
confide in him — it may be read in various ways — that which I have 
given above is the most natural and literal construction. — 



44 



parti del mio corpo. Allora dico che poggiai la mia 
persona simulatamente ad una piltura, la quale circon- 
dava questa magione; e temendo non altri si fosse ac- 
corto del mio tremare, levai gli occhi, e mirando le 
donne, vidi tra loro la gentiiissima Beatrice. Allora fu- 
rono si distrutti li raiei spiriti per la forza che Amore 
prese veggendosi in tanta propinquitade alia gentiiis- 
sima donna, che non mi rimase in vita piu che gh spi- 
riti del viso, ed ancor questi rimasero fuori de'loro 
strumenli , perocche Amore volea stare nel loro nobilis- 
simo luogo per vedere la mirabile donna: e avvegna 
ch' io fossi altro che prima, molto mi dolea di questi 
spiritelli che si lamentavano forte , e diceano : "Se questi 
non ci infolgorasse cosi fuori del nostro luogo, noi po- 
tremmo stare a vedere la meraviglia di questa donna 
cosi come stanno gli altri nostri pari. " lo ilico, che 
molte di queste donne, accorgendosi delta mia trasfigu- 
razione, si cominciaro a maravigliare; e ragionando si 
gabbavano di me con questa gentiiissima: onde I'ingan- 
nato amico di buona fede mi prese per la mano, e 
traendomi fuori della veduta di queste donne, mi do- 
mando, che io avessi. Allora riposato alquanto, erisurti 
li morti spiriti miei, e li discacciati rivenuti alle loro 
possession!, dissi a questo mio amico queste parole: " Io 
ho tenuti i piedi in quella parte della vita, di la dalla 
quale non si puo ire piu per intendimento di ritornare." 
E partitomi da lui, mi ritornai nella camera deUe la- 
grime, nella quale piangendo e vergognandomi, fra me 



— 43 - 

extended over my whole body — then, I say, I feigned 
to lean my person against a painted Wall, which sur- 
rounded the house; and fearing that others must have 
perceived my trembling state, I raised my Eyes, and 
directing them towards the Ladies, I perceived amongst 
them the lovely Beatrice— Then the spirits within me , 
finding themselves in a situation near to that beauteous 
Lady,were so subdued by the power which Love exerted, 
that those of Vision alone had any life; and even they 
were excluded from their own Instruments; for. Love 
determined to take their noble place, in order to look 
upon this admirable person — And , in as much as I 
was changed from what I was before, I grieved sadly 
for those httle Spirits, who lamented bitterly, and said, 
" If he (Love) had not driven us from our place with 
the speed of lightning, we could have stood and ga- 
zed upon this wonder of womankind, as others, si- 
milar to us, now do." — I say then, that many of 
these Ladies, perceiving the change wrought on me , 
began to marvel ; and in their conversation with that 
beauteous Lady, ridiculed me — So that my mistaken 
friend, taking me by the hand, led me ont of the view 
of those Ladies, and inquired, what ailed me? After a 
short respite (the dead Spirits within me having risen 
again, and those which had been expelled having re- 
turned to their places) I addressed my friend in the 
following terms. — " My feet have stood in that por- 
tion of existence, beyond which it is impossible to 
go, with the intention of returning, " and quitting 
him I retired to the chamber of tears, where betwixt 
Grief and Shame , I thus spoke within myself. " If 



_ 46 — 

stesso dicea: "Se questa donna sapesse la mia condizione, 
io non credo, che cosi gabbasse la mia persona, anzi 
credo che molta pieta ne le verrebbe. " E in questo pianto 
stando, proposi di dir parole, nelle quali a lei parlando 
significassi la cagione del mio trasfiguramento, e dicessi 
che io so bene ch' ella non e saputa, e che se fosse sa- 
puta, io credo che pieta ne giangerebbe altrui: e pro- 
posi di dirle, desiderando che venissero per avventura 
nella sua audienza; e allora dissi questo Sonetto: 

Con r altre donne mia vista gabbate, 
E non pensate, donna, onde si mova 
Ch'io vi rassembri si figura nova 
Quando riguardo la vostra beltate. 

Se Io saveste, non potria pietate 

Tener piu contra me I'usata prova, 
Ch'Amor quando si presso a voi mi trova 
Prende baldanza e tanta sicurtate , 

Che fiere tra'miei spirli paurosi, 

E quale ancide, e qual pinge di fuora, 
Sicch' ei solo rimane a veder vui : 

Ond'io mi cangio in figura d' altrui; 
Ma non si ch' io non senta bene allora 
Gli guai de' discacciati tormentosi. 

Questo Sonetto non divido in parti , per che la divi- 
sions non si fa se non per aprire la sentenzia delta cosa 
divisa: onde, conciossiacosache per la ragionata cagione 
assai sia manifesto, non ha mestieri di divisions Vero e 



>-. 47 — 

that Lady had known the condition in which I was, 
I do not think that she would have so ridiculed my 
appearance, on the contrary, I believe that she would 
have felt great compassion for me. " — And in this 
state of sadness, I purposed saying a few words, 
in which , whilst addressing her, I might explain the 
reason of the change wrought in me; and add , that I 
felt certain she had no knowledge of it , but that if 
she had had any , it was my belief that she would have 
pitied me — And I proposed writing them, in the hope 
that they might by chance reach her presence — I then 
composed the following Sonnet. 

With other Dames, upon my looks you jest, 
And think not, Lady, whence it comes, that I 
Appear to you transformed so wondrously. 
When on your loveliness my glances rest — 

For, knew you this, you surely would detest. 
For Pity's sake, your wonted cruelty — 
Love, doth such boldness and security 
Assume, when near you he beholds me placed, 

Thaton my trembling Spirits wroth he flies; 
And some he drivelh out, and some doth kill; 
Wherefore I put another semblance on. 

So that to look at you , he stays alone — 
Yet in such sort, as that I cease not still. 
Plainly to hear the tortured Exile's cries. * 

/ do not divide this Sonnet into parts , because a 
division is only made in order to explain the meaning 
of that which is divided. — But here there is no occasion 
for division as the meaning is sufficiently manifest from 
the circumstances before related — It is true that there 

' The Spirits driven out by Love. — 



— 48 — 

che tra le parole ove si manifesta la cagione di questo 
Sonetto si trovano dubbiose parole; cioe quando dico 
cKAmore uccide tutti i miei spiriti, e li visivi rimangono 
in vita, salvo che fuori degli strumenti loro. E questo 
dubbio e impossibile a solvere a chi non fosse in simil 
grado fedele d'Amore; ed a coloro che vi sono e manife- 
sto cid che solver ebbe le dubitose parole: e per 6 non e 
bene a me dichiarare cotale dubitazione, acciocche lo mio 
parlare sarebbe indarno ovvero di soperchio. 

Appresso la nuova trasfigarazione mi giunse un 
pensamento forte, il quale poco si partia da me; anzi 
continuamente mi riprendea, ed era di cotale ragiona- 
mento meco: "Posciache tu pervieni a cosi schernevole 
vista quando tu se'presso di questa donna, perche pur 
cerchi di vederla? Ecco che se tu fossi domandato da 
lei, che avresti tu da rispondere? ponendo che tu avessi 
libera ciascuna tua virtude, in quanto tu le rispondessi." 
Ed a questo rispondea un altro umile pensiero, e dicea: 
"Se io non perdessi le mie virtudi, e fossi libero tanto 
chMo polessi rispondere, io le direi, che si tosto com'io 
immagino la sua mirabil bellezza, si tosto mi giugne 
un desiderio di vederla, il quale e di tanta virtude, che 
uccide e distrugge nella mia memoria cio che contra 
lui si potesse levare; epero non mi ritraggono le passate 
passioni da cercare la veduta di coslei. " Ond' io mosso 
da cotali pensamenti proposi di dire certe parole, nelle 
quali scusandomi a lei di cotal riprensione, ponessi an- 



- 49 - 

are some doubtful expressions amongst those which ex- 
plain the cause of this Sonnet. — ^5 for instance, when 
I say, that Love destroys all my Spirits , and that the 
Spirits of Vision remain alive, but existing out of their 
Instruments. — Now it is impossible to explain these 
doubtful expressions to one who has not been in a simi- 
lar degree the subject of Love. — And to those who are 
so, the solution of the doubt is clear. — Moreover, it is 
wrong in me to set forth such doubts, because my speak- 
ing of them would either be useless or superfluous. — 

Soon after this change in my appearance, a thought 
of great intensity came upon me, and scarcely ever 
quitted me; nay, it constantly recurred, and reasoned 
thus. " Since thine appearance becomes so ridiculous 
when thou art near thy Lady, why dost thou, seek 
her presence? If thou wert asked this question by 
her, what answer couldst thou make, supposing that 
thou hadst all thy faculties free, so as to be able to 
reply? " To this another humble thought answered, 
saying, " Were I in possession of all my faculties, and 
sufficiently at my ease to be able to answer, I would 
say, As soon as I picture to myself her wondrous 
beauty, so soon does the desire to behold her come 
upon me; and with such force, that it destroys and 
annihilates in my Memory that which might be 
alledged against her; and moreover, my past suffe- 
rings cannot restrain me from attempting to obtain 
a sight of her. " — Excited by such thoughts, I 
purposed saying a few words, in which, whilst excus- 
ing myself in such a manner as to avoid her reproof, 

5 



— 50 — 

che quello che mi addiviene presso di lei, e dissi questo 

Sonetto. 

Cio cho m' inconlra nella mente more 
Qaando veiigo a veder vol bella gioia; 
E quando vi son presso , io sento Amore 
Che dice: fuggi, se 'I perir t'e noia. 

Lo viso mostra lo color del core, 

Che tramorlendo, OYunque puo s'appoia, 
E per Tebrieta, del gran Iremore, 
Le pielre par che gridin: moia, raoia. 

Peccato face chi allor mi vede 

Se 1' alma sbigottita non conforta, 
Sol dimostrando che di me gli doglia, 

Per la pieta, che '1 vostro gabbo avvede, 
La qual si cria nella vista morta 
Degli occhi ch' hanno di lor morte voglia. 

Questo Sonetto si divide in due parti, Nella prima 
dico la cagione, per che non mi tegno di give presso a 
questa donna; nella seconda dico quello che m^ addiviene 
per andare presso di lei, e comincia questa parte quivi: 
E quando vi son presso. E anche questa seconda parte 
si divide in cinque, secondo cinque diverse narrazioni: 
che nella prima dico quello che Amore consigliato dalla 
ragione mi dice quando le son presso: nella seconda ma- 
nifesto lo stato del core per esemplo del viso: nella terza 
dico siccome ogni sicurtade mi vien meno: nella quarta 
dico, che pecca quegli che non mostra pietd di me accioc- 
che mi sarebbe alcun conforlo: neW ultima dico perche 
altri dovrebbe aver pieid, cioe per la pietosa vista che j^ 
negli occhi mi giunge, la qual vista pietosa e distrutta, ^^ 



- 51 — 

1 might relate what had happened to me in her pre- 
sence; and I made this Sonnet. 

Each thought within my mind doth die away 
Oft as I chance to see thee, Jewel fair — 
When near thee, Love is there — I hear him say 
" Begone — if pain of Death thou wouldst not bear "- 

My face does my heart's colouring betray, 
Which fainting seeks a leaning place, where'er 
It may be — nay, the stones do seem to say 
" Die " — to my Sense inebriate with fear — 

He surely sins, who sees me in this guise 

And to relieve my trembling heart doth scorn, 
And shew how deep he feels my misery, 

By Pity, which thy ridicule espies — 
Pity , which in that dying look is born 
Of eyes , wich speak their only wish ~ to die. 

This Sonnet is divided into two parts — Iti the 
first I state the reason why I forbear approaching my 
Lady — in the second, I relate what befalls me when I 
approach her, beginning with the words " When near 
thee etc. " this second fart is subdivided into five parts, 
containing five different subjects — in the first of these , 
/ repeat what Love [counselled by Reason) says to me 
when I am near her — in the second, I manifest the 
state of my heart, by that of my countenance — in the 
third, I shew, how 1 become deprived of all firmness — 
in the fourth, I say, that man sins ivho does not so 
exhibit pity towards me, as that I may receive some 
comfort from it — In the last I explain why others 
should feel for me, viz. On account of that piteous look 
which comes over my eyes, and which is destroyed, or 



-• S2 - 

cioe non pare altrui, per lo gabbare di questa donna, la 
quale trae a sua simile operazione coloro che forse ve- 
drebbono questa pietd. La seconda parte comincia quivi: 
Lo viso mostra; la terza: E per I'ebrieta; la quarta: 
Peccato face; la quinta: Per la pieta. 

Appresso cio che io dissi , questo Sonetto nii mosse 
una volonta di dire anche parole nelle quali dicessi quat- 
tro cose ancora sopra il mio stato, le quali non mi 
parea che fossero manifestate ancora per me. La prima 
delle quali si e che molte volte io mi dolea, quando la 
mia memoria movesse la fantasia ad imaginare quale 
Amor mi facea: la seconda si e, che Amore spesse volte 
di subito m' assalia si forte che a me non rimanea altro 
di vita se non un pensiero che parlava delta mia don- 
na: la terza si e che quando questa battagha d' Amore 
mi pugnava cosi, io mi movea quasi discolorito tutto 
per veder questa donna, credendo che mi difendesse la 
sua veduta da questa battaglia, dimenlicando quelle 
che per appropinquare a tanta gentilezza m'addivenia: 
la quarta si e come cotal veduta non solamente non mi 
difendea, ma finalmente disconfiggea la mia poca vita; 
e pero dissi questo Sonetto: 

Spesse fiate venemi alia mente 

L' oscura quali la ch'Amor mi dona; 
E vJenmene piela si, che soveute 
Io dico: lasso 1 avvien egli a persona? 



— 53 - 

in other words is not manifest to others, on account of 
the ridicule of my Lady, who thus induces others to join 
her in it tvho might otherwise perhaps, have been aware 
of my misery — the second part begins, ^^My face etc.'' 
the third, ^^Nay! the Stones etc." the fourth ^^ He surely 
sins etc. " and the fifth, " By Pity etc, " 

Soon after what 1 have related, the above Sonnet 
excited in me a desire lo say something which might 
comprehend four circumstances relative lo my State , 
which had not, in my opinion, been manifested by me. 
The first of these was, that 1 very often felt grieved 
when my memory, stimulated by my Imagination, 
depicted the sort of Person which Love had made of 
me. — The second, that Love sometimes assailed me 
so suddenly and so vigorously , that all of Life which 
remained in me, was, a thought which spoke of my 
Lady. — The third, that whilst Love thus violently 
contended with me, I went with paUid visage to see 
her, thinking that the sight of her, might prove a de- 
fence for me in this contest ; but forgetting what the 
consequence of an approach to such beauty would be 
to me. — The fourth was, how the Sight of her, not 
only did not defend, but in the end destroyed the little 
life within me - accordingly I made the following 
Sonnet. — 



The darksome stale, ordained by Love for me, 
('omes ever and anon into my mind: 
And then so fraught am I with misery, 
That I exclaim. Who can my equal find? 

5* 



34 



Ch' amor m' assale subitanamente 

Si che la vita quasi m' abbandona: '' 

Carapami un spirto vivo solaraente, 
E quel riman, perche di voi ragiona. 

Poscia mi sforzo, che mi voglio aitare; 
E cosi smoito e d' ogni valor volo, 
Yegno a vederyi, credendo guarire; 

E se io levo gli occhi per guardare, 

Nel cor mi s' incomincia un terremoto, 
Che fa da' polsi 1' anima partire. 

Questo Sonetto si divide in quatlro parti, secondo 
che quattro cose sono in esso narrate: e perocche sono 
esse ragionate di sopra, non m intrametto se non di 
distinguere le parti per li loro cominciamenti: onde dico 
che la seconda parte comincia quid: Ch'Amor; la terza 
quivi: Poscia rai sforzo; la quarla: E se io levo. 

Poiche io dissi quesli tre Sonelti, ne'quali parlai 
a questa Donna, pero che faro narratorii di tutto 
quasi Io mio stato, credeimi tacere, perocche mi parea 
avere di me assai manifestato. Avvegnache sempre poi 
tacessi di dire a lei, a me convenne ripigliare materia 
nova e piu nobile che la passata. E perocche la cagione 
della nova materia e dilettevole a udire, la diro quanto 
potro piu brevemente. 

Conciossiacosache per la vista mia molte person© 
avessero compreso Io segreto del mio cuore, certe donno 
le quali adunate s' erano dilettandosi 1' una nella com- 
pagnia deU'altra, sapeano bene Io mio cuore, perchd 



— 55 — 

Sudden, Love strikes; and with such Energy, 
That Life itself to quit me seems indined — 
One Spirit in me has vitality, 
It speaks of thee, and therefore stays behind. 

I rouse, and fain would help myself— and then 
With pallid cheek indeed, and powerless all, 
Hoping for cure, I go to gaze on thee 

But when I lift my eyes on thee again , 

An earthquake tremor on my heart doth fall. 
Causing the Life from out my pulse to flee. 

This Sonnet is divided into four farts, containing 
the four different matters treated in it — and as they 
have been explained before, 1 meddle no further with 
them, than to distinguish them by their beginnings — 
wherefore, I say the second part begins, " Sudden Love 
strikes, " the third " / roiise myself etc. " and the 
fourth, " But when 1 lift etc. " — 

Having made these three Sonnets descriptive of my 
condition, and addressed to this noble Lady, I thought 
it proper to remain silent, because I considered that I 
had sufficiently manifested my feelings — And although 
I abstained ever afterwards from addressing her , I 
felt a desire to take up a subject at once new and 
more noble than the past. — And as the circumstances 
suggestive of this new subject may be amusing, I shall 
,state them as briefly as possible. — 

Although many persons might have learnt the 
secret of my heart by my appearance, yet some cer- 
tain Ladies, (who delighted in each other's society and 
had assembled together) knew my heart well, because 



- 36 — 

ciascuna di loro era stata a molte mie sconfitte. Ed io 
passando presso di loro, siccome dalla fortuna menato, 
fui chiamato da una di queste gentili donne. Quella 
che m'avea chiamato era di molto leggiadro parlare; 
sicche quando io fui giunto d' innanzi a loro, e vidi 
bene che la mia gentilissima donna non era con esse, 
rassicurandomi le salulai , e domandai che piacesse loro. 
Le donne erano molte, tra le quali n' avea certe che si 
rideano tra loro. Ailre y' erano che guardavami aspet- 
tando che io dovessi dire. Altre v' erano che parlavano 
tra loro, delle quali una volgendo gli occhi verso me, 
e chiamandomi per nome, disse queste parole: "A che 
fine ami tu questa tua donna, poiche tu non puoi la 
sua presenza sostenere? Dilloci, che certo il fine di cotale 
amore conviene che sia novissimo." E poiche m'ebbe 
dette queste parole, non solamente ella, ma tutte le al- 
tre cominciaro ad attendere in vista la mia risponsione. 
Allora dissi loro queste parole: "Madonne, Io fine del 
mio amore fu gia il saluto di questa donna, di cui voi 
forse intendete, ed in quello dimorava la beatitudine 
che era fine di tutti i miei desiderii. Ma poiche le piac- 
que di negarlo a me, Io mio signore Amore, la sua 
mercede, ha posta tutta la mia beatitudine in quello 
che non mi puote venir meno." Allora queste donne co- 
minciaro a parlare tra loro; e siccome talor vedemo 
cader Tacqua mischiata di bella neve, cosi mi parea 
vedere le loro parole mischiate di sospiri. E poiche al- 
quanto ebbero parlato tra loro, mi disse anche questa 



- 57 - 

each of them had witnessed many of my discomfitures 
— Passing by chance, near where these charming La- 
dies were assembled , I was called to by one of them — 
She who called me had a most agreeable m£giner of 
speaking, in so much so, that having gone into their 
presence, and seeing that my beauteous Lady was not 
amongst them, I took courage saluting them and asking, 
what might be their pleasure? they were many in 
number, some were laughing together, whilst others 
were looking at me , and waiting to hear what I had 
to say. — Some were talking, and one of them turning 
her eyes towards me and calling me by name, addressed 
me as follows. — " To what purpose dost thou love 
this Lady of thine, when thou canst not support her 
presence ? — tell us — for undoubtedly , the object of 
such love must be something quite novel. " — And 
having said these words, not only she, but all the 
others began attentively to look at me, waiting for my 
reply. — I then uttered the following words — "Ladies, 
the object of my Love has been , the Salutation of\/ 
that Lady of whom you probably are speaking; and ' 
in that salutation consisted the felicity which was 
the end of all my desires, but since it has been her 
pleasure to deny it to me , Love , my liege Lord , 
grace be to him, has placed all my happiness in that 
which can never fail me. " — The Ladies then began 
to talk amongst themselves; and as we sometimes 
see rain falling, intermingled with white flakes of 
snow, so did their words appear to me mingled with 
sighs. — After conversing a short time together , the 
Lady who had first spoken addressed me in the follow- 



,/ 



— 58 - 

donna, che prima m' avea parlato queste parole: " Noi 
ti preghiamo, che tu ne dica ove sta questa tua beati- 
tudine." Ed io rispondendole dissi cotanlo: " In quelle pa- 
role chelodano la donna mia." Ed ella rispose: "Se tu ne 
dicessi vero, quelle parole che tu n' hai dette notificando 
la tua condizione, avresti tu operate con altro inlendi- 
mento." Ond io pensando a queste parole, quasi vergo- 
gnandomi mi partii da loro; e venia dicendo tra me 
medesimo: "Poiche e tantabeatitudine in quelle parole che 
lodano la mia donna, perche altro parlare e stato il mio?" 
E proposi di prendere per materia del mio parlare sem- 
pre mai quello che fosse loda di questa gentilissima; e 
pensando a cio molto, pareami avere impresa troppo 
alta materia quanto a me, sicche non ardia di comin- 
ciare; e cosi dimorai alquanti di con desiderio di dire 
e con paura di cominciare. Avvenne poi che passando 
per un cammino, lungo il quale correva un rio molto 
chiaro, d'onde giunse a me tanta volonta di dire, che 
cominciai a pensare il modo ch' io tenessi; e pensai che 
parlare di lei non si conveniva se non che io parlassi 
a donne in seconda persona; e non ad ogni donna, ma 
solamente a coloro che sono gentili, e non sono pure^ 
femmine. Allora dico che la mia lingua parlo quasi 
come per se stessa mossa, e disse: Donne ch'avete in- 
telletto d' amove. Queste parole io riposi nella mente 
con grande letizia, pensando di prenderle per mio co- 
minciamento: ondc poi ritornato alia sopradetta cittade, 
c pensando alquanti di, cominciai una Canzone con 
questo cominciamento ordinata nel modo che si ve- 



- 59 - 

" We intreat thee to tell us where this 
thine happiness is to be found? " And I answering 
said, " In those compositions which speak the praises 
of my Lady " — she replied, " If thou hast spoken the 
truth, thou must have used those expressions which 
denote thy condition, in quite a different sense." Reflect- 
ing on these words, and feeling something like shame, 
I departed, and began to say within myself, " Since so 
much happiness is comprised in the expressions lau- 
datory of my Lady, why have I spoken in any other 
manner? " And for the future, I purposed taking the 
praises of that fair Lady as the subject of my composi- 
tions; and reflecting deeply on the matter, I seemed to 
myself to have chosen a subject too lofty for my powers; 
indeed so much so, that I dared not make a beginning; 
and so I remained some days, anxious to write , but 
afraid to make a beginning. — It happened then, that 
passing along a road, on the side of which ran a beau- 
tifully clear rivulet, the desire to compose came upon 
me so strongly that I began to devise the form in which 
I should write; moreover, I thought it would not be 
proper to speak of her, unless I addressed other women 
in the second person. — At that moment then, I say, 
my tongue began to speak, as it were of it's own 
accord; and said, 

" Donne che avete intelletlo d'amore " — 

These words I laid up in my memory with great de- 
light, intending to use them as a commencement — and 
having returned to the above mentioned City , after 
some days of reflection, I began a Song with that be- 



— 60 — 

dra di sotto nella sua divisione. La Canzone comin- 
cia cosi: 

Donne ch' avete intelletto d' amore , 
lo vo' con yoi della mia donna dire, 
Non perch' io creda sua laude finire , 
Ma ragionar per isfogar la mente. 
Io dico che pensando il suo valore, 
Amor si dolce mi si fa sentire, 
Che s'io allora non perdessi ardire, 
Farei parlando|innamorar la gente: 
Ed io non vo' parlar si altamente 
Che divenissi per temenza vile; 
Ma trattero del suo stato gentile, 
A rispelto di lei, leggeramente, 
Donne e Donzelle amorose, con vui, 
Che non e cosa da parlarne altrui. 

Angelo clama in divino intelletto, 
E dice: Sire, nel mondo si vede 
Maraviglia nell' atto , che precede 
Da un' anima che fin quassu risplende. 
Lo Cielo che non have altro difetto, 
Che d' aver lei, al suo Signer la chiede, 
E ciascun Santo ne grida mercede. 
Sola pieta nostra parte difende, 
Che parla Dio, che di Madonna intende: 
Diletti miei, or sofFerite in pace 
Che vostra speme sia quanto mi place 
La ov'e alcun che perder lei s'attende, 
E che dira nell' Inferno a'malnati: 
Io vidi la speranza de' beati. 



1 



61 — 



ginning, arranged in the manner which will be seen 
in the subsequent division. — 



Ladies, to you acquainted with Love's way, 
I fain would speak about my Mistress fair; 
Not meaning all her merits to declare, 
But to relieve my mind by speech with you — 

Reflecting on her worthiness, I say. 
Love through my Senses does such sweetness bear, 
That if I lost not all the strength to dare. 
My words with love would every heart imbue. 

* I will not speak with such a lofty view 
As that I spoil my work, through fearfulness. 
But strive her noble nature to express, 
With a light hand and with respect, her due — 
On you, ye loving Dames, and Damsels all, 
And on none else , 't'is fit my theme should call. — 

Lol in celestial speech an Angel cries. 

And says — ""I see, O Lord, much marvelling. 

Throughout the nether world, at deeds which spring 

Forth from a soul, whose rays thus high ascend. " 

Heav'n which hath no defect in any wise, 

(Save lack of her) demands her of it's king , 

Each Saint for her is loud petitioning. — 

While Pity only doth our cause defend. — 

For God, thus speaking, doth of her intend — 

" My well beloved, ^ sutler patiently 

Your hope ^ to wait my pleasure, there where He 

Who dreads to lose her dwells; who shall descend* 

To the accursed Souls in hell, and cry, 

I have beheld the hope of Saints on high " — 

> I will not attempt a strain so lofty, as that I fail through fear of 
my inability to sustain it. 
a The Angels. 

3 Beatrice. 

4 Dante. 



— 62 — 

Madonna e desiata in V alto cielo : 
Or vo'di sua virtii farvi sapere: 
Dico: qual vuol gen til donna parere 
Yada con lei; che quando va per via, 
Gitta ne' cor villani Amore un gelo, 
Perche ogni lor pensiero agghiaccia e pare: 
E qual soffrisse di starla a vedere 
Diverria nobil cosa, o si morria: 
E quando trova alcun che degno sia 
Di veder lei, quel prova sua virtute; 
Che gli addivien cio che gli da salute, 
E si Tumilia, che ogni ofiFesa oblia: 
Ancor le ha Dio per maggior grazia dato, 
Che non puo mal finir chi le ha parlato. 

Dice di lei Amor: cosa raortale 

Come esser puote si adorna e pura? 

Poi la riguarda, e fra se stesso giura, 

Che Dio ne intende di far cosa nova. 

Color di perla quasi informa, quale 

Conviene a donna aver, non fuor misura: 

Ella e quanlo di ben puo far natura; 

Per esempio di lei belta si prova. 

Degli occhi suoi , come ch' ella gli muova, 

Escono spirti d' amore infiammati, 

Che fieron gli occhi a qual che allor gli guali, 

E passan si che '1 cor ciascun ritrova: 

Yoi le vedete Amor pinto nel viso, 

Ove non puote alcun mirarla fiso. 

Canzone, io so che tu girai parlando 

A donne assai, quando t' avro avanzata: 
Or t' aramonisco, perch' io t' ho allevata 
Per figliuola d' amor giovine e plana, 
Che dove giungi tu dichi pregando: 
Insegnatemi gir; ch' io son mandata 
A quella, di cui loda io sono ornata: 
E se non vogli andar, siccome vana. 



~ 63 - 

Madonna is desired in heaven above ; -<2 

Now would I make her wond'rous virtue clear, 
And say . that she who noble would appear , 
Must walk with her; for as she passeth by 
A chill is sent through all base hearts by Love, 
Making the thoughts to freeze, and perish there — 
And he who dares to stop and gaze on her, 
Would straight become a nobler thing, or die — 
But he who fmdeth that he worthily 
Can look on her, his virtue thus enures 
To a hard test; for what befals him, cures 
And makes him meek, forgetting injuries — 
And God's especial grace, preventeth still 
Him who hath talked with her, from ending ill — 
Love speaketh of her thus — " How can there be 
A human creature so unstained so fair? " 
Then doth he gaze on her, and inly swear, 
That God has formed a creature yet unknown — 
The color of the pearl assumeth she, 
Yet not more pale than woman's cheek should wear, 
She's nature's highest work of good or fair. 
Beauty is tried by her comparison; 
And from her eyes, whate'er they turn upon. 
Spirits of Love dart forth, whose brilliant flame, 
Woundelh the eyes which dare to look on them; 
While to the heart unerring goes each one — 
Love's portrait limned in her face you see, 
Whence none can look upon her fixedly. — 

I know, my Song, that speaking thou wilt roam 
Mid many gentle Dames, where thou art sent; 
I counsel thee (since I have been content 
To rear thy youth as the meek child of Love) 
Say in the tone of prayer, where thou dost come, 
"Teach me the way, my course must needs be bent 
Tow'rds her whose praises are mine ornament. " — 
And if from idleness thou wilt not rove, 



— 64 - 

Non ristare ove sia gente villana: 
Ingegnati , se puoi d' esser palese 
Solo con donna, o con uomo cortese, 
Che ti merranno per la via tostana: 
Tu troverai Amor con esso lei; 
Raccomandami a lor come tu dei. 

Questa Canzone acciocche sia meglio intesay la di- 
vider 6 piu artificiosamente, che le altre cose di sopra, e 
pero ne fo tre parti. La prima parte e proemio delle se- 
guenti parole; la seconda e lo intento trattato; la terza 
e quasi una servigiale delle precedenti parole. La seconda 
comincia quivi: Angelo clama; la terza quivi: Canzone 
io so. La prima parte si divide in quattro: nella prima 
dico a cui dir voglio della mia donna, e perche io voglio 
dire: nella seconda dico quale mi pare a me stesso quan- 
d* io penso lo suo valore, e come io direi se non perdessi 
V ardimento: nella terza dico come credo dire acciocche 
io non sia impedito da villa: nella quarta ridicendo an- 
cora cui intendo dire, dico la ragione per che dica loro. 
La seconda comincia quivi: Io dico; la terza quivi: Ed io 
non vo' parlar; la quarta quivi: Donne e donzelle. Poi 
quando dico Angelo clama, comincio a trattare di que- 
sta Donna; e dividesi questa parte in due. Nella prima 
dico che di lei si comprende in cielo; nella seconda dico 
che di lei si comprende in terra, quivi: Madonna e de- 
siata. Questa seconda parte si divide in due; che nella 



-- 65 - 

I charge thee from uncivil folk remove. — 
Strive, if Ihou canst, to make thy meaning plain 
To Tvomen only, or to courteous men — 
They '11 guide thee soonest to the spot , where Love, 
Placed at her side, shall surely meet thy view — 
Commend me to them, as thou ought'st to do. — 



In order that this Song may be better comprehended, 
I shall divide it more artificially , than those which pre- 
cede it and therefore into three parts — the first of 
which is the proemium to what follows; the second the 
subject on which I mean to treat; the third, is as it 
were auxilliary to what precedes it. — The second begins 
^' Lo! in celestial speech etc," the third "/ know, my 
Song etc. " The first part is subdivided into four — in 
the first, I state to whom I would speak of my Lady , 
and why I wish so to do. — In the second, I speak of 
her worth, such as it appears to me, and how I would 
sing of it, if my courage failed me not — In the third, 
I say, in what manner I mean to speak of her , so as 
not to be hindered, and fail through my own want of 
confidence — in the fourth, repeating, to what persons I 
intend to address myself, 1 state the reason why I mean 
to do so to them especially. — The second subdivision 
begins " Reflecting on her worthiness, " the third " / 
will not speak, " the fourth " On you ye loving Dames." 
— When I afterwards say, " Lo! in celestial speech etc." 
I begin to treat of my Lady ; and this part is subdivided 
into two. — In the first, I tell, what is thought of her 
in heaven, in the second, what is thought of her on 
earth, beginning thus " Madonna is desired " — this se- 



— 66 - 

prima dico di lei quanlo dalla parte delta nobiltd della 
sua anima, narrando alquante delle sue virtudi che dalla 
sua anima procedeano: nella stconda dico di lei quanto 
dalla parte della nobiltd del suo corpo, narrando alquanto 
delle sue hellezze, quivi: Dice di lei Amor. Questa se- 
conda parte si divide in due; che nella prima dico d' al- 
quante hellezze che sono secondo tutta la persona; nella 
seconda dico d' alquante hellezze che sono secondo deter- 
minata parte della persona , quivi: Degli occhi suoi. 
Questa seconda parte si divide in due; che nelV una dico 
degli occhi che sono principio d*Amore; nella seconda 
dico della hocca cK e fine d'Amore. Ed acciocche quinci 
si levi ogni vizioso pensiero, ricordisi chi legge, che di 
sopra e scritto che il saluto di questa donna, lo quale 
era della operazione della sua hocca, fu fine de* miei de- 
siderii, mentre che io lo potea ricevere. Poscia quando 
dico: Canzone, io so, oggiungo una stanza quasi come 
ancella delle allre, nella quale dico quello che da questa 
mia Canzone desidero. E perocche quesf ultima parte e 
lieve ad intendere, non mi travaglio di piic divisioni. 
Dico hene , che a piu aprire lo intendimento di questa 
Canzone si converrehbe usare piu minute divisioni; ma 
tuttavia chi non e di tanto ingegno che per queste che 
son fatte la possa intendere, a me non dispiace se la mi 
lascia stare; che certo io temo d' avere a troppi comuni- 
cato il suo intendimento pur per queste divisioni che fatte 
sono, s' egli avvenisse, che molti la potessero udire. 



Apprcsso che questa Canzone fu alquanto divolgata 
fra le genii, conciofossecosaclic alcuno amico 1' udissc, 



— 67 - 

cond part is subdivided into two, in the first of which , 
speaking of her noble person , / mention some of her pe- 
culiar beauties; in the words ^^ Love speaketh of her 
thus; " and this second part is again subdivided into 
two; in the first of which I speak of the beauty of her 
whole person; and in the second, of the beauty of some 
determinate parts; thus, ^' And from her eyes " — this 
second subdivision is again divided into two; in the first 
I speak of the eyes, which are the source of Love, in the 
second, of the mouth which is the end of Lou, — And in 
order to remove all evil thoughts, let him who reads re- 
collect what I have before written; viz. That the Saluta- 
tion of that Lady, which is the operation of her mouth , 
was the end of all my desires, so long as I teas permitted 
to receive it — when 1 afterwards say "/ know my 
Song etc. , " I add a Stanza, as it were the handmaid 
of the others, in which 1 state what I require of this my 
Song. — And as this latter part is very easy to be under- 
stood, I trouble myself with no more subdivisions. — It 
is indeed true, that more divisions are necessary , in 
order fully to explain the meaning of this Song; but 
nevertheless, if any one has not sufficient intellect to und- 
erstand it, with the help of the divisions already made, 1 
shall not be annoyed, if he leave it alone altogether ; 
certain I am, that with these divisions, I shall have 
communicated the meaning to loo many, if many are 
capable of understanding it. — 



Soon after this Song became known to various 
persons, one of my friends who had heard it, and who 



— 68 - 

volonta lo mosse a pregare me, che io gli dovessi dire 
che e Amore, avendo forse per le udite parole speranza 
di me oltreche degna. Ond' io pensaiido che appresso 
di cotal trattalo, bello era traltare alcuna cosa d' Amo- 
re, e pensando che V amico era da servire, proposi di 
dire parole nelle quali Irattassi d' Amore, e dissi allora 
questo Sonetto: 

Amore e cor gentil sono una cosa 

Si com' 11 Saggio in suo dittato pone; 
E cosi senza I' un V allro esser osa, 
Cora' alma razioual senza ragione. 

Fagli natura quando e amorosa 

Amor per sire e '1 cor per sua magione, 
Dentro alia qual dormendo si riposa 
Talvolta brieve e tal lunga slagione. 

Beltate appare in saggia donna pui 

Che place agll occhl, si che dentro al core 
Nasce un deslo della cosa piacente: 

E tanto dura talora in costui, 

Che fa svegliar lo spirilo d' Amore: 
E simll face in donna uomo valente. 

Questo Sonetto si divide in due parti. Nella prima 
dico di lui in quanlo e in potenza; nella seconda dico di 
lui in quanto di potenza si riduce in atlo. La seconda 
comincia quivi: Beltade appare. La prima si divide in 
due: nella prima dico in che soggelto sia questa potenza; 
nella seconda dico come questo soggelto e questa potenza 
siano prodolti insieme, e come Vuno guarda I'altro, come 
forma materia. La seconda comincia quivi: Fagli natura. 
Poi quando dico: Beltade appare, dico come questa po- 



- 69 - 

entertained in consequence hopes of me beyond my 
deserts, felt inclined to ask me to tell him, what love 
is — wherefore, considering that after a Song of the 
nature of the above, It would be a good opportunity to 
say something of love, and thinking moreover, that it 
would be right to oblige a friend, I purposed saying 
a few words which should treat of it and indited the 
foUoving Sonnet. — 

Love, and a noble heart, are only one ~ ^ 

(As hath the Poet in his writings said) ^"^ 

Should either dare attempt to stand alone, 
T'were as a reasoning Soul, to Reason dead. — 

That Love should be the Lord, is Nature's boon; 
In kindest mood, the heart his home she made; 
In which, he for a season late or soon, 
Or long or short, in slumbering rest is laid — 

Beauty in modest female form, comes then. 
And so attracts the eye, that it doth make 
Desire of that which charms, in th' heart to grow.— 

And there of times, it will so long remain, 
That it compels Love's spirit to awake. — 
And Woman feels towr'ds virtuous Man e'en so. 



This Sonnet is divided into two parts, in the first , 
/ speak of the extent of his (Love's) power; in the second, 
of that power brought into action — The second begins 
" Beauty, in modest etc. ; " the first part is subdivided in 
to two; in the first, I say in what subject this power is 
placed; in the second, how this power and this subject 
are produced together , and how each depends on the 
other, as form on matter — the second begins " In kindest 
mood etc. " — Afterwards when 1 say " Beauty, in mod- 



— 70 — 

tenza si riduce in atto; e prima come si riduce in uomo, 
poi come si riduce in donna, quivi: E simil face in 
donna. 

Poiche Irattai d'Amore nella sopradetta rima, ven- 
nemi volonta di dire anche in lode di questa gentilissima 
parole, per le quali io moslrassi come si sveglia per lei 
quest' amore, e come non solamente lo sveglia la ove 
dorme, ma la ove non e in potenza, ella mirabilmente 
operando lo fa venire; e dissi allora questo Sonetto. 

Negli occhi porta la mia donna Amore, 

Per che si fa gentil cio ch'ella raira; 

Ov'ella passa, ogni uom ver lei si gira, 

E cui saluta fa treraar lo core. 
Si che bassando il viso tutto amore, 

E d' ogni suo difetlo allor sospira; 

Fugge davanti a lei superbia ed ira: 

Aiutatemi, donne, a fade onore. 
Ogni dolcezza, ogni pensiero uraile 

Nasce nel core a chi parlar la sente, 

Ond' e beato chi prima la vide. 
Quel ch' ella par qiiando un poco sorride 

Non si puo dicer ne tenere a mente: 

Si e nuovo miracolo e gentile. 

Questo Sonetto ha tre parti, Nella prima dice sic- 
come questa donna riduce in atto questa potenza secondo 
la nobilissima parte degli occhi suoi; e nella terza dico 
questo medesimo , secondo la nobilissima parte della sua 
hocca. E intra queste due parti ha una particella ch' e 



_ 71 — 

est etc." I shew how the power acts; first in man, and 
afterwards how it operates on woman, " And woman 
feels etc. " — 

Having treated of Love in the above rhymes , the 
desire came upon me to write in praise of my most 
noble Lady, in language capable of shewing how the 
love of her is awakened; and that not only where he 
lies sleeping, but how her marvellous attractions cause 
him to enter, where he has before had no power what- 
ever — And I composed the following Sonnet. 

My Lady, beareth love within her eyes, 

Ennobling all that falls beneath her gaze; — 
Each passer by turn tow'rds her in amaze; 
The heart of him she greets, all trembling lies, 

So that with downcast face, which paleness dyes, 
He for his each defect a pardon prays — 
Nor pride, nor anger, in her presence stays — 
Help me, ye fair, her charms to eulogize. — 

All gentle thoughts, and all humility, 

Spring in his heart who hears her accents sweet , 
Whence, blest the man who cliancelh her to see. 

What she appears when smiling, Memory 
Cannot retain — no tongue to tell is meet; — 
So new, so fair a miracle, is She! 

This Sonnet has three parts; In the first, I tell, how 
my Lady brings into action the potver of love, by means 
of that most noble feature, her eyes; and in the third I 
speak of the same effect by means of that most noble 
feature her mouth; and between these two parts (of the 
Sonnet) , is a small portion, which seems as if asking 



— 72 ~ 

quasi domandatrice d'aiuto alia precedente parte ed alia 
seguente, e comincia quivi: Aiutatemi, donne. La terza 
comincia quivi: Ogni dolcezza. La prima si divide in tre; 
die nella prima dico come virtuosamente fa gentile cid 
cK ella vede, e questo e tanto a dire quanta adducere 
Amore in potenza Id ove non e. Nella s^conda dico come 
riduce in alto Amore ne' cuori di tutti coloro cui vede. 
Nella terza dico quello che poi virtuosamente adopera 
ne' lor cuori. La seconda comincia: Ov' ella passa. La 
terza: E cui saluta. Quando poscia dico: Aiutatemi don- 
ne , do ad intendere a cui la mia intenzione e di parlare, 
chiamando le donne che m' aiutino ad onorare costei. 
Poi quando dico: Ogni dolcezza, dico quel medesimo cKe 
detto nella prima parte, secondo due atti delta sua boc- 
ca, uno de' quali e il suo dolcissimo parlare, e V altro lo 
suo mirabile riso; salvo che non dico di questo ultimo 
come adoperi ne' cuori altrui, perche la memoria non 
puote rilener lui, ne sue operazioni, 

Appresso cio non molti di passati, siccome piacque 
al glorioso Sire, lo quale non nego la morte a se, colui 
ch'era stato genitore di tanta meraviglia, quanto si 
vedeva ch' era quella nobilissima Beatrice, di questa 
vita uscendo se ne gio alia gloria eternale Yeraceraente. 
Onde, conciossiache cotale partire sia doloroso che ri- 
mangono, e sono stati amici di colui che se ne va; e 
nulla sia cosi intima amista come quella da buon pa- 



- 73 - 

assistance, both from the preceeding and subsequent parts, 
beginning thus " Help me ye fair etc.; " the third part 
begins " All gentle thoughts etc, " — The first part has 
three divisions; in the first of them I say how effectually 
she ennobles all that she looks upon; and this is as much 
as to say^ that she brings the power of Love to act , 
where he had no previous existence. — In the second, J 
say, how she causes Love to act on the hearts of all who 
see her. — In the third, I speak of the effect which he 
produces on their hearts. — The second begins " Each 
passer by etc.; " the third, " The heart of him etc. " — 
When 1 afterwards say, " Help me, ye fair etc. " I give 
it to be understood to tchom it is my intention to address 
myself, by calling upon " the fair, " to assist me in ren- 
dering honor to my Lady — When, further on I say 
" All gentle thoughts etc. " I repeat tvhat I have said in 
the first part, which arises from two separate actions of 
her mouth; the one her most captivating speech, and the 
other her most marvellous smile; it must be remarked 
however, that 1 do not say how this last acts upon the 
hearts of others, because Memory is incapable of retain- 
ing either its expression, or its operation. — 

Not many days after this (according to the will of 
our blessed Lord who himself refused not to die) , he , 
who was the progenitor of all the marvellous excellen- 
cies visible in the most noble Beatrice, departed this 
Life, and went to eternal glory — wherefore, as such a 
departure is most grievous to those who are friends of 
the departed and remain behind; and as there is no 
affection so deep as that of a good father for a good 



die a buon figiiuolo, e da buon figliuolo a buon padre; 
e questa donna fosse in allissimo grado di bontade, e lo 
suo padre (siccome da molli si crede, e vero e) fosse 
buono in alto grado, manifesto e che questa donna fu 
amarissimamente piena di dolore. E conciossiacosache, 
secondo r usanza delta sopradetta cittade, donne con 
donne, cd uomini con uomini si adunino a cotale tristi- 
zia, molte donne s* adunaro coia ove questa Beatrice 
piangea pietosamente: ond' io veggendo ritornare al- 
quante donne da lei, udii lor dire parole di questa 
gcntilissima, com' ella si lamentava. Tra le quali parole 
udii come dicevano: *' Certo ella piange si che qual la 
mirasse dovrebbe morire di pietade. " Allora trapassa- 
rono queste donne, ed io rimasi in tanta tristizia, che 
alcuna lagrima talor bagnava la mia faccia, ond'io mi 
ricopria con pormi spesse Yolfe le mani agli occhi. E se 
non fosse ch' io attendea anche udire di lei (perocche io 
era in luogo onde ne giano la maggior parte delle donne 
che da lei si partiano), io men sarei nascoso inconta- 
nente che le lagrime m' aveano assalito. E pero dimo- 
rando ancora nel medesimo luogo, donne anche passaro 
presso di me, le quali andavano ragionando tra loro 
queste parole: "Chi dee mai esser lieta di noi, che avemo 
udito parlare questa donna cosi pietosamente?" Appresso 
costoro, passarono altre che veniano dicendo: "Quesli 
die quivi c, piange ne piu ne meno come se 1' avesse 
yeduta come noi 1' avemo. " Altre poi diceano di me: 
" Vedi questo che non pare esso, tale e divenuto/' E cosi 
passando queste donne, udii parole di Ici e di me in 



I 




- 75 — 

child, and of a good child for a good father; and as my 
Lady was good in the highest degree, and her father 
equally so (according to the opinion of many, and in 
fact), it must be manifest that she would be filled with 
the bitterest grief. — And, as according to the custom 
of the above mentioned city, women unite with women, 
and men with men, at so sad a scene, many La- 
dies had met together, where Beatrice was weeping 
piteously; and I, seeing some of them on their return 
from her, heard them speak of that lovely person, and 
say, how deeply she was afflicted. — And amongst 
other things, I heard these words; "She weeps to such 
a degree, that whoever sees her must surely die of 
pity. " — They then passed on — and I remained in 
such a state of distress, that my cheeks were bathed 
with tears: in so much so that I concealed my sad plight 
frequently by covering my eyes with my hands.— 
And, had I not expected to hear more about her , (for 
I was in a situation where the greater number of those 
Ladies who had just quitted her were obliged to pass) 
I should have hidden myself from them as soon as the 
fit of tears came upon me. — And during my stay in 
this place, some Ladies passed by, who were conversing 
in the following terms; — "Which of us should ever be 
happy again, after having heard the piteous accents of 
that Lady?" >— after them came others, who passing , 
said, "That person is weeping neither more nor less, 
than if he had seen her, as we have." — Others , allu- 
ding to me, said "See, he is so changed, that he looks 
not like himself." — And thus, whilst these Ladies were 
passing, I heard such expressions as I have related , 



- 76 - 

questo modo che detto e. Ond' io poi pensando, proposi 
di dire parole, acciocche degnamenie avea cagione (ji 
dire, neile quali io conchiudessi tutto cio che udito avea 
da queste doone. E pero che volentieri le avrci doman- 
date se non mi fosse stata riprensione , presi materia di 
dire, come se io le avessi domandate, ed elle m' aves- 
sero risposlo, e feci due Sonetti; che nel primo domando 
in quel modo che voglia mi giunse di domandare; nel- 
r altro dico la loro risposta, pigliando cio ch' io udii da 
loro, siccome Io m' avessero detto rispondendo. E co- 
minciai il primo: Voi che portate; il secondo: Se' tu 
colui. 

Voi che portate la sembianza umile 

Con gli ocelli bassi mostrando dolore, 

Onde venite, che '1 vostro colore, 

Par divenuto di piela simile? 
Yedesle voi nostra donna gentile, 

Bagnata il viso di pieta d'Amore? 

Ditelmi, donne, che '1 mi dice il core; 

Perch' io vi veggio andar sanz' alto vile. 
E se venite da tanla pietale, 

Piacciavi di restar qui meco alquanto; 

E checche sia di lei, nol mi celale: 
Ch'io veggio gli occhi vostri ch' hanno pianto, 

E veggiovi tornar si sfigurate, 

Che '1 cor mi Irema di vederne tanlo. 

Questo Sonetto si divide in due parti. Nella prima 
chiamo e dimando queste donne se vengono da lei, di- 



— 77 - 
both concerning her and me. — Wherefore, turning (he 
matter over in my mind, and finding that I had a fit 
occasion for speaking, I purposed saying a few words, 
which might contain ail that I had heard from those 
Ladies. — And as I would wiUingly have asked some 
questions of them (had I not been afraid of blame), I 
took up the subject , as though I had asked , and they 
had answered me; and I made two Sonnets. — In the 
first, I put a question, in the form in which I had felt 
a desire to ask it; and in the other I give their answer, 
taking that which I had heard them say, as if it had 
been addressed by them to me, in reply. — And I be- 
gan the first thus, ''Oye! that in etc.;" and the second, 
''Say art thou he etc." 

yel that with such humbled looks appear, 
With downcast eyes, telling of inward woe, 
"Whence come ye, that your cheek's accustomed glow 
Seems changed for sorrow's likeness, which ye wear? 

Have ye indeed beheld our Lady dear, 
Whose face the tears of grieving love o'erflow? 
Speak Ladies! for ray heart doth tell me so, 
^ Since, with no common gait ye pass me, here. 

And if ye come from such a mournful scene, 
May ye be pleased to stay a while with me. 
And hide not from me, what her state has been. 

For sure those eyes have wept but recently, 
And ye return with such an altered mien. 
That my heart quails , so vast a change to see. 

This Sonnet has three divisions. — In the first , / 
invoke those Ladies, and ask if they come from her, 

^ Danle says previously, that wboever looks upon Beatrice is al once en- 
nobled in appearance as well as in scnlimcnl, 

7* 



— 78 - 
cendo loro ch'io il credo, perche tornano quasi ingenlilite. 
Nella seconda le prego che mi dicano di lei, e la seconda 
comincia quivi: E se venite: 

Se' tu colui, ch' hai traltato sovente 

Di nostra donna, sol paiiando a nui? 

Tu rassomigli alia voce ben lui; 

Ma la figura ne par d' altra gente. 
E perche piangi tu si coralmente, 

Che fai di te piela venire altrui? 

Yedestu pianger lei, che tu non pui 

Punto celar la dolorosa mente? 
Lascia piangere a noi, e triste andare; 

E' fa peccato chi mai ne conforta, 

Che nel suo pianto 1' udimrao parlare. 
Ella ha nel viso la pieta si scoria, 

Che qual 1' avesse voluta mirare, 

Saria dinanzi a lei piangendo raorta. 

Questo Sonetto ha quatlro parti, secondo che quattro 
modi di parlare ebbero in loro le donne per cui rispondo. 
E perocche di sopra sono assai manifesli, non mi fra- 
me t to di narrare la sentenzia delle parti, e per 6 le distin- 
guo solamente. La seconda comincia quivi: E perche 
piangi tu; la terza: Lascia piangere a noi; la quarta: 
Eir ha nel viso. 



Appresso cio pochi di, avvenne che in alcuna parte 
delta mia persona mi giunse una dolorosa infermitade, 
ond' io soffersi per molti di amarissima pena , la quale 



- 79 - 
saying at the same time, that 1 believe so , because they 
return ennobled in appearance. — In the second , I ask 
them to tell me somewhat respecting her, beginning thus 
" And if ye come etc. " — 

Say art thou he who did so often sing 
Our Lady's praise, addressed to us alone? 
Thy voice indeed resembles his in tone 
But in appearance thou'rt an altered thing. — 

Why dost thou from thine inmost heart so moan, 
That pity for thee does our Bosoms wring? 
Hast seen her tears? since now thou canst not fling 
Concealment o'er thy grieving thoughts. Alone 

Leave us fo weep, and sad pass on our way — 
* He who would comfort us, sins grievously, 
Since we have heard her, words of anguish say — 

Her face so plainly told her agony, 

That he who would to look on her essay, 
Must in her very presence, weeping die. — 

I his Sonnet has four divisions, according to the 
four different modes of speaking used by these Ladies for 
ivhom 1 make reply. — But as they are intelligible 
enough , 1 do not take the trouble of explaining their 
meaning separately, but simply distinguish them from 
each other. — The second begins ^^Why dost thou;" the 
third ^'Leave us to weep etc.;" and the fourth ^^ Her face 
so plainly etc. " — 

A few days after this, a most painful disease attack- 
ed a part of my body, and caused me to suffer excru- 
ciating agony for some time; and it reduced me to such 

1 It would be a sin lo atlompl lo comfort us, who, having heard her 
lamcnlalion, are inconsoU»l)lc. 



— 80 — 

mi condasse a tanla debolezza, che mi convenia stare 
come coloro, i quali non si possono movere. lo dico che 
nel nono giorno sentendomi doiore intolerabile, giunse- 
mi un pensiero, il quale era della mia donna. E quando 
ebbi pensato aiquanto di lei, io ritornai alia mia debi- 
lilata vita, e veggendo come leggero era lo suo durare, 
ancora che sana fosse, cominciai a piangere fra me 
stesso di tanta miseria: onde sospirando forte fra me 
medesimo dicea: '^Di necessita conviene che la gentilis- 
sima Beatrice alcuna yolta si muoia." E pero mi giunse 
uno si forte smarrimento, ch' io chiusi gli occhi e co- 
minciai a travagliare come farnetica persona, ed ima- 
ginare in questo modo: che nel cominciamento dell'er- 
rare che fece la mia fantasia, mi apparvero certi visi 
di donne scapigliate che mi diceano: "Tu pur morrai." E 
dopo queste donne, m' apparvero certi visi diversi ed 
orribili a vedere, i quali mi diceano: '^ Tu se' morto. " 
Gosi cominciando ad errare la mia fantasia, venni a 
quello che non sapea dove io fossi, e veder mi parea 
donne andare scapigliate piangendo per via, maravi- 
gliosamente tristi, e pareami vedere il sole oscurare si 
che le stelle si mostravano d' un colore che mi facea 
giudicare che piangessero: e parevami che gli uccelli 
volando cadessero morti, e che fossero grandissimi ter- 
remoti. E maravigliandomi in cotale fantasia, e paven- 
tando assai, imaginai alcuno amico che mi venisse a 
dire: " Or non sai? la tua mirabile donna e partita di 
questo secolo." Allora incominciai a piangere molto pie- 
tosamente, e non solamente piangea nella imaginazio- 



— 81 — 

a state of weakness that I was forced to remain as one 
incapable of motion. — On the ninth day then I say , 
finding the pain intolerable, a thought which was of my 
Lady, came upon me. — And after having reflected 
some time upon her, I turned my mind back upon my 
debilitated state of existence, and considering how frail 
and short it's duration even though in health, I began 
to weep internally at the idea of so great misery. — 
After having heaved some deep sighs, I said within my- 
self "Of necessity at some time or other, this most noble 
Beatrice must die." — Upon which such consternation 
fell upon me, that I shut my eyes and began to lament 
like one delirious? and to picture in my imagination 
that which follows. — In the commencement, of the 
wanderings of my fancy, women's faces with hair dishe- 
velled appeared to me, and said "Thou shalt surely die." 
— And after these, certain other strange faces horrible 
to look at, which said "Thou art dead." — Such being 
the beginning of the wanderings of my fancy, I at last 
came not to know where 1 was, and I thought I saw 
women with dishevelled hair pass along the way weep- 
ing; and the Sun seemed to be darkened, in so much 
that the stars appeared of such a colour as to make me 
think they wept; and the birds seemed to fall dead in 
the midst of their flight, and the Earth quaked tremen- 
dously. — Wonder stricken by such imaginings , and 
exceedingly alarmed, I fancied that a friend came to 
me and said "Dost thou not know? thy most adorable 
Lady has departed this Life." — Then began I to weep 
bitterly, not only in my Imagination, but with my 
Eyes, bathing them in real tears. — I then fancied that 



- 82 - 

ne, ma piangea con gli occhi, bagnandoli di vere lagri- 
me. lo imaginava di guardare verso il cielo. e pareami 
vedere moltitudine di Angeli, i quali tornasscro in suso 
ed avessero dinanzi loro una nebulelta bianchissima. A 
me parea che questi Angeli cantassero gloriosamente, 
e le parole del loro canto mi parea che fossero quesle: 
Osanna in excehis; ed altro non mi parea udire. Ailora 
mi parea che il cuore ov'era tanto amore mi dicesse: 
" Vero e che morta giace la nostra donna." E per questo 
mi parea andare per vedere lo corpo nel quale era 
stata quella nobilissima e beata anima. E fu si forte la 
crronea fantasia, che mi mostro questa donna morta; 
e pareami che donne le coprissero la testa con un 
bianco velo: e pareami che la sua faccia avesse tanto 
aspetto d'umiltade, che parea che dicesse: " lo sono a 
vedere lo principio delta pace." In questa imaginazione 
mi giunse tanta umiltade per veder lei, che io chiamava 
la Morte, e dicea: " Vieni a me, e non m' esser villana; 
perocche tu dei esser gentile, in tal parte se' stata: or 
vieni a me che molto ti desidero: tu vedi ch' io porto 
gia lo tuo colore." E quando io avea veduto compiere 
tutti i dolorosi misterii che alle corpora de' morti s' usano 
di fare, mi parea tornare nelia mia camera, e quivi 
mi parea guardare verso il cielo; e si forte era la mia 
imaginazione, che piangendo cominciai a dire con vera 
voce: "0 anima bellissima, com'e beato colui che ti 
vede! " E dicendo queste parole con doloroso singulto di 
pianto, e chiamando la Morte che venisse a me, una 
donna giovane e gentile, la quale era lungo il mio lelto, 



— 83 — 

I was looking towards heaven, and seemed to see mul- 
tiludes of Angels who were returning upwards, having 
before them a little cloud of exceeding whiteness. — 
The angels appeared to sing a song of Glory, and the 
words which 1 hear^iwere "Osanna in excelsis" — "Ho- 
sannah in the highest," and I heard none other. — Then 
did my heart which was the abode of such vast love 
say to me "It is true that our Lady is dead " and in 
consequence of this, I seemed to go for the purpose of 
seeing the body in which that most noble and beati- 
fied Soul had dwelt. — And so powerful was my wan- 
dering imagination, that it exhibited to me the Lady , 
dead. And women seemed to be covering her head 
with a while veil, and her face appeared to wear an 
expression of humility which seemed to say "Now do 
I behold the beginning of peace." — This imaginary 
view of her j)roduced in me such a sense of humility, 
that I called on Death, saying. "Come to me, and 
be not vile, for thou shouldst be noble seeing where 
thou hast been. — Come to me, for I have a great de- 
sire for thee; thou seest that I already wear thy co- 
lour." And when I had witnessed all the sad offices 
w hich are usually performed for the dead , I seemed 
to return to my chamber, and there to look up to 
heaven; and such was the force of my Imagination , 
that amidst my tears I began to say audibly "O most 
beautiful of souls! happy he who now beholds thee." 
And when I had said these words, painfully sobbing 
and calling on death to come to me, a young and 
noble Lady who was at my bed side, supposing that 
my tears and exclamations were caused by the pain 



- 84 — 

credendo che il mio piangere e le mie parole fossero 
lamento per lo dolore della mia infermita, con grandc 
paura comincio a piangere; onde altre donne, che per 
la camera erano, s' accorsero che io piangeva per lo 
pianto che vedeano fare a questa: onde facendo lei 
par tire da me, la quale era meco di propinquissima 
sanguinita congiunta, elle si trassero verso me per isve- 
gliarmi, credendo che io sognassi, e diceammi: "Non 
dormir piu e non ti sconfortare. " E parlandomi cosi, 
cesso la forte fantasia enlro quel punto ch' io volea 
dire: "O Beatrice, benedetta sii tu/' E gia detto avea: "O 
Beatrice.../' quando riscuotendomi apersi gli occhi, e 
vidi ch'io era ingannato; e con tutto ch'io chiamassi 
questo nome, la mia voce era si rotta dal singulto del 
piangere, che queste donne non mi poterono intendere. 
Ed avvegnache io mi vergognassi molto, tuttavia per 
alcuno ammonimento d'amore mi rivolsi loro. E quando 
mi videro, cominciaro a dire: " Questi par morto; " e a 
dir fra loro: " Procuriam di confortarlo." Onde molte pa- 
role mi diceano da confortarmi, e lalora mi domanda- 
vano di che io avessi avuto paura. Ond' io essendo al- 
quanto riconfortato, e conosciuto il falso imaginare, 
risposi loro: " Io vi diro qucllo ch' ho avuto." AUora co- 
minciandomi dal principio, Ono alia flne dissi loro cio 
che veduto avea, tacendo il nome di questa gentilissi- 
ma. Onde io poi sanato di questa infermita, proposi di 
dir parole di questo che m' era avvenuto, perocche mi 
parea che fosse amorosa cosa a udire, c si no dissi 
questa Canzone: 



- 85 - 
of my disorder, began to feel much alarmed and to 
weep; Some other Ladies who were also in the cham- 
ber, perceiving by the grief which I caused this one , 
that I was weeping, forced her (who was nearly al- 
lied to me by blood) to quit me, and drew near to 
wake me, supposing that I was in a dream. — And 
I hey said "Sleep no more and cease from distressing 
yourself.'^ And whilst they were so speaking this 
powerful delirium left me just as I was in the act of 
saying "0 Beatrice! blessed art thou." — And I had 
just said '^O Beatrice," when recovering myself, 1 open- 
ed my eyes and saw that I had been deceived. — And 
notwithstanding my having exclaimed the name loud- 
ly, my voice was so interrupted by sobs , that these 
Ladies could not comprehend what I said. — And al- 
though I felt much ashamed, yet I turned myself 
towards them — and when they beheld me they began 
to say, "He appears like one dead," and then speaking 
to each other "let us endeavour to console him. " — 
Then they addressed many soothing expressions to me, 
and afterwards inquired what had caused me so much 
alarm — Wherefore , being somewhat recovered and 
conscious of my false imaginings, 1 replied, "I will 
tell you what has been the matter with me. " — And 
beginning at the beginning, I repeated to the end all 
that I had seen, without mentioning the name of my 
most noble Lady. — Being afterwards cured of this 
disease, I purposed writing of that which had befallen 
me, appearing as it did to have love for it's subject. 
— And I composed the following Song. 



- 86 — 

Donna pietosa e cli novella etale, 
Adorna assai di genlilezze umane, 
Ch'era la ov'io chiaraava spesso morle, 
Veggendo gli occhi miei pien di pielatc 
Ed ascoltando le parole vane, 
Si mosse con paura a pianger forle. 
Ed allre donne clie si furo accorte 
Di me per quella che meco piangia, 
Fecer lei partir via, 
Ed appressarsi per farmi sen tire. 
Qual dicea: non dormire; 
E qual dicea: perche si li sconforte? 
Allor lasciai la nova fantasia, 
Chiamando il nome delta donna raia. 

Era la voce mia si dolorosa, 

E rotta si dall'angoscia e dal pianio, 
Ch'io solo intesi il nome net mio core: 
E con tutta la vista vergognosa 
Ch'era net viso mio giunta colanto, 
Mi fece verso lor volgere Amore: 
Egli era tale a veder mio colore, 
Che facea ragionar di morte allrui. 
Deh confortiam costui, 
Pregava Tuna Taltra umilemente; 
E dicevan sovente: 
Che vedestu, die tu non hai valore? 
E quando un poco confortato fui, 
lo dissi: donne, dicerollo a vui. 

Mentre io pensava la mia fragil vita, 
E vedea '1 suo durar com' 6 leggiero, 
Pianscmi amor nel core ove dimora; 
Per che 1' anima mia fu si smarrita, 
Che sospirando dicea nel pensiero: 
Ben converra, che la mia donna mora. 
Io presi lanto smarrimento allora, 
Che chiusi gli occchi vilmente gravati; 
Ed eran si smagati 



- 87 - 

A tender hearted Damsel, young in years , 
Richly adorned with every human grace, 
Who sat by me when Death I called upon, 
Seeing my eyes o'erflow with painful tears, 
And catching from my lips each wandering phrase, 
Seized with alarm, to weeping was urged on. — 
Moved by her deep felt Lamentation, 
The other Damsels did my suflferings see 
And bid her go from me; 
Wishing to rouse me, they approached my bed, 
''Sleep not" one of them said. 
Another spoke, "Why dost thou so take on? " 
And then I left my new born phantasy. 
Calling my Lady's name with energy; 

But then my voice was so subdued by pain, 
So broken by my tearful agony, 
That in my heart alone, was heard that name. 
And overcome by shame which did remain 
Imprinted on my visage fearfully 
Love bade me turn myself about to them — 
But my appearance did so ghastly seem, 
That they conversed of me, as all but dead. — 
"Let him be comforted 
By us"— did each the other lowly pray, 
Oftimes I heard them say 

"Thystrengththusgone,whatsaw'stthouin thy dream?" 
And when my mind was somewhat quieted 
"Ladies! to you I'll tell the whole" I said. — 

Whilst thinking on my Life now grown so frail. 
Seeing how small a thing it's term must be. 
Love, in my heart (his home) wept bitterly. 
My soul with such alarm began to quail. 
That in my thought, it sighing whispered me, 
"My noble Lady too must surely die." 
So utterly dejected then was I, 
That I shut close my fear oppressed eyes. — 
My spirits in such wise 



- 88 - 

Gli spirli miei, che ciascun giva errando; 

E poscia, immaginando, 

Di conoscenza e di verita fuora, 

Visi di donne m'apparver crucciati, 

Che mi dicean: Morra'lu pur, morrali. 

Poi vidi cose dubitose raolte 

Nel vano immaginare , ov'io entrai; 
Ed esser mi paiea non so in qual loco, 
E veder donne andar per via disciolte, 
Qual lagrimando e qual traendo guai, 
Che di tristizia saetlavan foco. 
Poi mi parve vedere appoco appoco 
Turbar lo sole ed apparir la stella, 
E pianger egli ed ella; 
Cader gli augelli volando per Tare, 
E la terra treraare; 
Ed uom m'apparve scolorito e fioco, 
Dicendomi: che fai? non sai novella? 
Morta e la donna lua, ch' era si bella. 

Levava gli occhi miei bagnati in pianti, 
E vedea che parean pioggia di manna 
Gli Angeli che lornavan suso in cielo, 
Ed una nuvolelta avean davanti, 
Dopo la qual gridavan tutti Osanna; 
E s'altro avesser detto, a voi direlo. 
Allor diceva Amor: piii non ti celo; 
Vieni a veder nostra donna che giace. 
L' immaginar fallace 
Mi condusse a veder mia donna morta; 
E quando I'avea scorta, 
Vedea che donne la covrian d' un velo; 
Ed avea seco umilta si verace, 
Che parea che dicesse : io sono in pace. 

Jo diveniva nel dolor si umile, 

Veggendo in lei tanta umilta formata, 
Ch'io dicea: Morte, assai dolce ti tegno; 
Tu dei omai esser cosa gentile 



- 89 — 

Distracted were, that wandering they went; 
My fancy so intent 

I pictured things not true, unconsciously; 
Faces of hideous women, uttering cries 
"Thou too shalt die," seemed to arise. — 

Then I beheld things horrible to view 
In the vain fancy region trod by me, 
But where I seemed to be, I do not know, — 
Women with hair dishevelled passed anew. 
Some weeping, others groaning piteously. 
Hurling grief's fiery arrows to and fro. — 
And then melhought I saw with motion slow 
The sun grow dark— the Stars their radiance spread, 
And he and they did shed 

Teardrops — the birds fell dead when high in air. 
And the earth trembled there. — 
Wasted and pale a man appeared now, 
"What dost? knowst not the news?" he said, 
"Thy Lady, once so beautiful is dead." — 

Swimming in tears, I then upraised my Eyes, 
And like a manna shower did plainly see 
The Angels who tow'rds heaven bent their way 
Before them sailed a small cloud in the skies. 
Following, they cried "Hosannah," chorally — 
I would tell more, but nought else did they say— 
Love spoke, "the truth no more shall hidden stay 
Come thou, and see our Lady where she lies" 
My treacherous phantasies 
Led me to view my Lady dead, and there. 
When I had gazed on her. 
Women upon her corpse a veil did lay. ~ 
In her appeared such genuine loveliness 
As seemed to say "Behold I am at peace." — 

So downcast was I'mid my sorrowing 
(Seeing in her so great humility) 
That then, "0 Death! thou'rt sweet to me" I said. — 
"But thou shouldst now become a noble thing, 

8* 



- 90 — 

Poich6 lu se'nella mia donna stala, 

E dei aver pietate e non disdegno: 

Vedi che si desideroso vegno 

D' esser de' tuoi, ch'io li somiglio in fede. 

Yieni, che '1 cor li chiede. 

Poi mi partia, consumato ogni duolo, 

E quando io era solo 

Dicea guardando verso V alto regno : 

Beato, anima bella, chi li vede. 

Voi mi chiamaste allor, vostra mercede. 

Questa Canzone ha due parti. Nella prima dico 
parlando a indiffinita persona, com' io fui levato d' una 
vana fantasia da certe donne, e come promisi lore di 
dirla. Nella seconda dico, come io dissi a loro. La se- 
conda comincia quivi: Mcnlr'io pensava. La prima parte 
si divide in due. Nella prima dico quello che certe donne^ 
e che una sola dissero e fecero per la mia fantasia, 
quanto e dinanzi ch' io fossi tomato in verace cognizione. 
Nella seconda dico quello che queste donne mi dissero, 
poich' io lasciai questo farnelicare, e cominciai quivi: 
Era la voce mia. Poscia quando dico: Mentr' io pensava, 
dico com* io dissi loro questa mia imaginazione, e intorno 
a cio fo due parti. Nella prima dico per ordine questa 
imaginazione: nella seconda dicendo a che or a mi chia- 
maro, le ringrazio chiusamente; e questa parte comincia 
quivi: Voi mi chiamaste. 

Appresso questa vana imaginazione, avvenne un di 
che sedendo io pensoso in alcuna parte, ed io mi senlii 
cominciare un tremito nel core, cosi comes'io fossi 



— 91 — 

Since wilh my Lady thou hast willed to be — 

By pity, not by wrath shouldst thou be led. 

Thou seest my wish to join thy Band, displayed 

In that I'm like to thee — come speedily, 

My heart does yearn for thee" 

My grief thus spent, I could no longer stay, 

But when alone, did say 

"Who sees thee, beauteous soul, must blessed be." 

I thank you all — for then you wakened me. 

This Song has two parts. — In the first, speaking 
to an indifferent person^ I relate how 1 was brought out 
of a fantastic illusion by certain Ladies , and hoic I pro- 
mised to tell them the subject of it. — In the second I 
repeat it as 1 had already done to them. — The second 
part begins ^^ Whilst thinldng etc." — The first part is 
divided into two; in the first of which, I recount that 
which certain Ladies (and one in particular) said and 
did during my illusion, that is to say , previous to my 
return to perfect consciousness. — In the second, I relate 
that which these Ladies said to me, when I had got rid 
of my delirium, beginning at the words ^^But then my 
voice" — afterwards at the words " Whilst thinking etc." 
I recount this my illusion in the same manner as I had 
told it to them, and divide it into two parts. — In the 
first 1 relate the vision in the order in which it appear- 
ed, in the second I declare the precise moment in which 
they recalled me to my senses, and I conclude by thank- 
ing them. — And this part begins "/ thank you all." — 

Soon after this idle illusion, it happened that as I 
>vas sitting one day in meditation, I felt my heart begin- 
ning to palpitate just as if I had been in the presence 



— 92 - 

stato presente a questa donna. Allora dico che mi giunse 
una imaginazione d'Amore: che mi parve vededo venire 
da quella parte ove la mia donna stava; e pareami che 
lietamente mi dicesse nel cor mio : " Pensa di benedire lo 
di ch'io ti presi, perocche tu lo dei fare." E certo mi 
parea avere lo core cosi lieto, che mi parea che non 
fosse lo core mio per la sua nova condizione. E poco 
dopo queste parole, che '1 core mi disse con la lingua 
d'Amore, io vidi venire verso me una gentil donna, la 
quale era di famosa beltade, e fu gia molto donna di 
questo mio primo amico. E lo nome di questa donna 
era Giovanna, salvo che per la sua beltade, secondo 
ch' altri crede, imposto 1' era nome Prima vera, e cosi 
era chiamata. E appresso lei guardando vidi venire la 
mirabile Beatrice. Queste donne andaro presso di me 
cosi r una appresso 1' altra , e parvemi che Amore mi 
parlasse nel core, e dicesse: "Quella prima e nominata 
Prima vera solo per questa venuta d'oggi; che io mossi 
lo impositore del nome a chiamarla Primavera cioe 
prima verrd, lo di che Beatrice si mostrera dopo I'ima- 
ginazione del suo fedele. E se anco vuoli considerare lo 
primo nome suo, tanto e quanlo dire Primavera, per- 
che lo suo nome Giovanna e da quel Giovanni, lo quale 
precedette la verace luce dicendo: Ego vox clamantis 
in deserto: parate viam Domini" Ed anche mi pare che 
mi dicesse queste altre cose: "E chi volesse sottilmente 
considerare, quella Beatrice chiamcrebbe Amore per 



— 93 - 

of my Lady. — Then, I say, Love appeared to me in a 
vision; he seemed to come from where my Lady dwelt, 
and to say joyfully within my heart, "Think of blessing 
the day when I first captivated thee, for indeed thou 
oughtest so to do." — And in fact my heart appeared 
so light, that I thought it could not be my own on ac- 
count of it's altered state. — And shortly after these 
words, uttered by my heart with the tongue of Love, 
I saw a young and noble Lady renowned for her beau- 
ty, coming towards me; she was then the Lady love of 
my earliest friend * and her name was Giovanna but 
on account of her beauty, as some think, the name of 
"Primavera" (Spring) had been given her, and by it 
she was generally addressed. — I continued to look and 
saw the admirable Beatrice advancing a little behind 
her, — These Ladies passed near to me close together , 
and Love seemed to speak within my heart and say. 
"The first of these is called "Primavera" solely on ac- 
count of her passing on this day, for it was I who mov- 
ed him who first gave her that name, "Primavera;" 
that is to say; "prima verra" ("shall come first") on 
the day when Beatrice shall first shew herself after the 
vision of her faithful subject. — And if thou wilt con- 
sider her first name, it is equivalent to Primavera 
(Spring), for the name "Giovanna" (Joan) comes from 
"Giovanni" (John) who preceded the true light, saying, 
"Ego vox clamantis in deserto: parate viam Domini." — 
"(I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness prepare 
ye the way of the Lord.)" — "And w hoever thinks more 
refinedly, would call Beatrice, Love: from the great 

1 Guido Cavalcanli. 



t 



- 94 - 

molta simiglianza che ha meco. " Ond' io ripensando, 
proposi di scriverne per riraa al primo mio amico (ta- 
cendo certe parole le qaali pareano da lacere) crcdendo 
io che ancora il suo cuore mirasse la belta di questa 
Prima>era genliie; e dissi questo Sonelto: 

Io mi senti' svegliar dentro dal core 

Uno spirto amoroso, che dormia, 

E poi vidi venir da lungi A more, 

Allegro si ch'appena 11 conoscia; 
Dicendo: or pensa pur di farmi onore, 

E 'n ciascuna parola sua ridia; 

E, poco slaiido meco 'i mio signore, 

Guardando in quella parte onde venia, 
Io vidi Monna Yanna e Monna Bice 

Venire inver Io loco la ov'io era, 

L'una appresso deH'altra meravigiia. 
E s\ come la mente mi ridice. 

Amor mi disse: Quesla e Primavera, 

E quella ha nome Amor, si mi somiglia. 

Questo Sonetto ha molte parti; la prima delle quali 
dice come io mi sentii svegliare Io tremore usato nel core, 
e come parve che Amove m' apparisse allegro da lunga 
parte. La seconda dice come m>i par che Amore mi di- 
cesse nel core, e quale mi parea. La terza dice, come poi 
che questo fu alquanto stato meco cotale, io vidi ed udii 
certe cose. La seconda parte comincia quivi: Dicendo or 
pensa pur; la terza quivi: E poco stando. La terza parte 



- 93 — 

resemblance which she bears to me." — Wherefore upon 
reilection, T purposed writing in rhyme on the subject 
lo my earh'est friend, (suppressing certain expressions 
which it seemed proper to omit) in (he belief lliat his 
heart still continued to admire Ihe beauty of the noble 
"Primav era" ; and I composed the following Sonnet. — 

I felt a Spirit wake within my breast: 
A loving spirit which had slept till then; 
And saw Love come from far, so joy possessed 
That scarce I recognized his face again. 
"Seek now," he said, "to honour me the best." 

While as each word he spoke, he laughed amain. 
And I, the while my Lord did near me rest, 
Looking the way he came, saw Fair-ones twain , 
* The Lady Vanna first, then Bice, move 
Towards the very spot where I did stay; 
Twin marvels, coming on contiguously. 

And, as my memory now reminds me, Love 
Thus spake; "This first is Spring, and that, men say 
Is Love, because she so resemblcth me. "— 

This Sonnet has many parts. The first tells how I 
felt the usual beating of my heart excited^ and hoio Love, 
all joy, appeared to me, coming from afar. — The 
second relates what Love seemed to say in my heart , 
and in tvhat mood he appeared. The third relates, tchat 
things I heard and saw after he had remained icith me 
some little time. The second part begins: ^^ Seek noiv, he 
said".... ihe third: ^^And /, the while".... this part has 
two divisions, in the first I repeat tchat 1 saio; in the 
second tvhat I heard, and it begins: " Love, " — " thus 

^ Al)l)icvialIons of Giovanna and Beatrice. 



^^'"./ 



— 96 — 

si divide in due: nella prima dico quello cli io vidi, e 
comincia quivi: Amor mi disse. 

Potrebbe qui dubitar persona degna di dichiararle 
ogni dubitazione, c dubitar potrebbe di cio ch' io dico 
d'Amore, come se fosse una cosa per se, e non so- 
lamente sostanza intelligente, ma come se fosse so- 
stanza corporale. La qual cosa, secondo verita, e falsa; 
che Amore non e per se siccome sostanza, ma e un 
accidenle in sostanza. E che io dica di lui come se fosse 
corpo ed ancora come se fosse uomo, appare per tre 
cose che io dico di lui. Dico die '1 Yidi lungi venire, 
onde, conciossiacosache venire dica moto locale (e lo- 
calmente mobile per se, secondo il filosofo, sia sola- 
mente corpo), appare che io ponga Amore essere cor- 
po. Dico anche di lui che rideva, ed anche che parlava, 
le quali cose paiono esser proprie dell' uomo, e special- 
mente esser risibile; e pero appare ch'io pongo lui 
esser uomo. A cotal cosa dichiarare, secondo ch'e buono 
al presente, prima e da intendere che anticamente non 
erano dicitori d' A more in lingua volgare, anzi erano 
dicitori d'Amore certi poeti in lingua latina; fra noi, 
dico (avvegna forse che tra altra gente addivenisse, e 
avvegna ancora, siccome in Grecia), non volgari ma 
litterati poeti queste cose trattavano. E non e molto 
numero d'anni passato che apparirono prima questi 
pocli volgari. Che dire per rima in volgare tanto e 
quanto dire per versi in latino, secondo alcuna propor- 
zione. E segno che sia picciol tempo e che se volemo 
ccrcare in lingua d' oco e in lino^ua di si, noi trovcremo 



- 97 — 

spake. " — A person fully entitled to have all dubious 
points cleared up, might here hesitate^ and be in doubt, 
especially as to what I have said concerning Love, whe- 
ther it is an individual thing, not simply an intellectual 
substance, but rather a corporeal one. The latter of 
which is in reality false; for Love is not an independent 
substance but an accident to substance. It is plain from 
three things which I say concerning it, that I speak of 
L.ove as if it had a body, nay as if it were a man. 1 
state that I saw him come from a distance; wherefore , 
as the word "^o come'' signifies change of place, (and 
the power of changing place, according to the Philoso- 
phers, belongs only to body) it is plain that L consider 
Love as having a body. Again L say, that he laughed, 
and that he spoke; which two things, especially the power 
of laughing , appertain to man only ; wherefore it is clear 
that 1 describe him as a man. To explain this matter , 
as far as is at present necessary, it must first be under- 
stood, that formerly there were no writers on Love in the 
vulgar tongue; but that certain Poets tcrote concerning 
it in the Latin Language. Amongst us, I say [and the 
same may have happened and does note occur in other 
Countries, as in Greece for instance) Poets only who 
ivere men of letters, and not of the common kind, treated 
of such subjects; audit is not many years since these 
Poets in the vulgar tongue first appeared among us. For 
writing in rhyme in the vulgar tongue, is in some degree 
the same thing as writing in Latin verse. And as a proof 
that it is only a short time since, if we take the trouble 
to search info the language of Oca. or ofS\ [the Proven- 
cal or the Tuscan Dialects) we shall find nothing on the 



— 98 — 

cose detle anzi lo presente tempo per CL anni. E la 
cagione per che alquanti grossi ebbero fama di saper 
dire, c che quasi furono i primi che dissero in lingua 
di si. E lo primo che comincio a dire siccomc poeta 
volgare, si mosse pero che voile fare intendere le sue 
parole a donna, alia quale era malagevole ad intendere 
i versi latini. E questo e contro a coloro che rimano 
sopra altra materia che amorosa; conciossiacosache co- 
lal modo di parlare fosse dal principio per dire d'Amore. 
Onde conciossiacosache a' poeti sia conceduta maggior 
licenza di parlare che alii prosaici dicitori , e questi di- 
citori per rima non sieno altro che poeti volgari, e de- 
gno e ragionevole che a loro sia maggior licenza largita 
di parlare che agli altri parlatori volgari: onde se al- 
cuna figura o colore rettorico e conceduto alii poeti, 
conceduto e a' rimatori. Dunque se noi vedemo che li 
poeti hanno parlato alle cose inanimate come se avessero 
senso e ragione, e fattole parlare insieme, e non sola- 
men te cose vere, ma cose non vere (cioe che detto 
hanno, di cose le quali non sono, che parlano, e detto 
che molti accidenti parlano siccome fossero sostanze ed 



- 99 — 
subject 150 years before the present period; * and the 
reason why some ignorant men had the reputation of 
being able to compose ivas, that they were the first to 
write in the language of Si [the Tuscan Dialect). Moreover 
the first who began to write Poetry in the vulgar tongue 
was actuated by a desire to make his verses intelligible 
to a Woman who could but badly comprehend Latin 
verses. ' And this is the reverse of those who rhyme on 
other subjects than Love, although that form of compo- 
sition [Rhyme] was from the very first adopted for treat- 
ing of it. Wherefore, as greater licence is granted to Poets 
than to Prose Authors, and as composers in rhyme are 
no other than Poets using the vulgar tongue, it is rea- 
sonable and just to give them greater licence of speech 
than to other Writers in that dialect: and consequently 
if any rhetorical figure or colouring be alloived to Poets, 
it ought equally to be conceded to composers in rhyme. 
— J f then ice see, that Poets have addressed inanimate 
things as though they had sense and reason , and have 
made them hold discourse together: and that not only 
with respect to things real, but those which are not real 
(as for instance when they make things speak which have 
no existence, when accidents converse as if they were 

^ Dante, like all other ancient wrilers, distinguishes different languages hy 
ihe affiimalive particle in each. In his inferno: Canto 33. He dislinguisht-s Tusc- 
any as the 'I Counlry where the. Si is heard. » And the Bolognese district 
(Canto 18 of the same Poem) as <i the place where people say Sipa. » And the 
French langu.ige he elsewhere calls « the language of Oc. » The expression 
therefore, n Lingua d' Oca,» means uLangne d' Oc .j> or Provencal, in Ihe cor- 
rupted stale of Latinily called Occitania , being ihc Ancient Gallia Narbonensis. 
They are all derived from the Latin. The Italian s\ from xic j or sic est j the 
Provencal from hoc estj Ihe French , hoc illad est. Fralicelli. 

2 Dante speaks of a period previous to 1250. 

LofC. 



- 100 - 

uomini), degno e lo dicitore per rima fare lo simiglian- 
te, non senza ragione alcuna, ma con ragionc, la quale 
poi sia possibile d'aprire per prosa. Che li poeti abbiano 
cosi parlato come delto e, appare per Virgilio, il quale 
dice, che Giuno, cioe una Dea nemica dei Troiani, parlo 
ad Eolo signore delli venti, quivi nel primo dell'Eneida: 
jEole, namque tibi etc., e che queslo Signore le rispose 
quivi: Tuus,o Regina, qui doptes etc. Per queslo mede- 
simo poeta parla la cosa che non e animala alia cosa 
animata nel terzo dell'Eneida quivi: Dardanidce durietc. 
Per Lucano parla la cosa animata alia cosa inanimata 
quivi: Multum, Roma, tamen debes civilibus armis. Per 
Orazio parla V uomo alia sua scienza medesima , sic- 
come ad altra persona; e non solamente sono parole 
d' Orazio, ma dicele quasi medio del buono Omero, 
quivi nella sua Poetria: Die mihi, Musa, virum etc. Per 
Ovidio parla Amore come se fosse persona umana, nel 
principio del Libro di Rimedio d'Amore quivi: Bella 
mihi video, bella parantur, ait. E per questo puote es- 
sere manifesto a chi dubita in alcuna parte di questo 
mio libello. E acciocche non ne pigli alcuna baldanza 
persona grossa, dico che ne li poeti parlano cosi senza 
ragione, ne que' che rimano deono cosi parlare, non 
avendo alcuno ragionamento in loro di quello che dico- 
no; perocche grande vergogna sarebbe a colui che ri- 
masse cosa sotto veste di Ggura o di colore rettorico, c 
poi domandato non sapesse dinudare le sue parole da 
cotal vesta , in guisa ch' avessero veracc intendimento. 
E questo mio primo amico ed io ne sapemo bene di 
quelli che cosi rimano stollamenle. 



— iOl — 
substances, or human). The writer of rhymes, I say, is 
entitled to do the like; not indeed unreasonably, but with 
such reason as it is in his poiver to explain aftenvards 
by means of prose. That Poets have spoken in this man- 
ner is manifest from Virgil^ tvhosays, that Juno a God- 
dess inimical to the Trojans, spoke to Eolus, the God 
of the Winds in this passage of the first Book of the 
ALneid, ^^ Mole, namqtie tibi etc," And the God answer- 
ed her. ^^Tuus o Regina, quid optes etc." — The same 
Poet, in the third Book of the Mneid, makes the inani- 
mate address the animate, thus. ^' Dardanidw duri etc. " 

— Lucan also makes the animate speak to the inanimate, 
thus, ''Multum, Roma, tamen debes civilibus armis." — 
Horace makes man speak to his oivn intelligence as if 
to another person; and not only are they the words of 
Horace, but he writes them as the Interpreter of the 
excellent Homer in his Poem: ^^Dicmihi, Musa virum." 
In the beginning of the Art of Love, Ovid makes Love 
speak as if he tcere a human Being thus: ^^ Bella mihi 
video, bella parantur , ait...." and by means of these 
examples, the matter must be chared up, to those who 
have doubts about any part of this my little book. But 
lest ignorant persons should assume too bold a licence \ 
I say, that as Poets do not so speak tvithout a meaning, 
neither ought the writers of rhyme to do so , ivithout 
having a rational purpose in ivhat they say; for great 
indeed would be the shame of that man who should rhyme 
on a subject under a rhetorical figure or colour , and 
then, on being asked, should not be able to strip his ivords 
of their clothing so as to give them a plain signification 

— my earliest friend and I, know those who compose ■ 
rhymes in this absurd manner. 

0* 



— 102 — 

Questa gentilissima donna, di cui ragionato e uellc 
precedenli parole, venne in tanta grazia delle genii, che 
qaando passava per via, le persone correano per ve- 
derla; onde mirabile letizia me ne giungea: e quando 
ella fosse presso ad alcuno , tanta onesla Tenia nel core 
di quelle, ch' egli non ardia di levare gli occhi, ne di 
rispondere al suo saluto; e di questo molti siccome 
esperti mi potrebbero testimoniare a cbi nol credesse. 
Ella coronata e vestita d'umilta s'andava, nulla gloria 
mostrando di cio ch' ella vedeva ed udiva. Dicevano 
molti, poiche passala era: "Questa nonefemina, anzi e 
nno de' bellissimi Angeli del cielo. '^ Ed altri dicevano: 
"Questa e una meraviglia ; che benedelto sia lo Signore 
che si mirabilmente sa operare ! " To dico ch' ella si mo- 
strava si gentile e si piena di lutti i piaceri, che quelli 
che la miravano comprendevano in loro una dolcezza 
onesta e soave tanto che ridire nol sapevano; ne alcuno 
era lo quale potesse mirar lei che nel principio non gli 
convenisse sospirare. Queste e piu mirabili cose da lei 
procedeano mirabilmente c virtuosamenle. Ond' io pen- 
sando a cio, volendo ripigliare lo stile della sua loda; 
proposi di dire parole nelle quali dessi ad intendere 
delle sue mirabili ed eccellenti operazioni; acciocche 
non pure coloro che la poteano sensibilmenle vedere, 
ma gli altri sapessono di lei quello che le parole ne 
possono fare intendere. Allora dissi questo Sonetto: 



— 103 — 

That most lovely Lady , of whom I have before 
spoken, rose so high in the estimation of others, that 
as she walked along the streets, people ran to get a 
sight of her; which circumstance occasioned me won- 
derful delight; and such modesty came over the heart 
of him who chanced to be near her, that he did neither 
dare to raise his eyes, nor to return her Salutation. — 
If any be incredulous, there are many who by their 
own experience are able to testify to the truth of this 
matter. — She moved along, crowned and adorned with 
humihty: exhibiting no pride on account of those things 
which she both saw and heard. — Many indeed, when 
she had passed, would say: "This is not a Woman but 
one of the beautiful Angels of Heaven.'' Others said: 
"She is a miracle; blessed be the Lord who is able to 
perform so admirable a work." — I say then that she 
was of so noble a presence, so abounding in every 
charm, that those who looked upon her felt within them 
so chaste, so gentle a sense of pleasure that they were 
incapable of describing it. — Nor was there any one 
that had the opportunity of seeing her, who did not in- 
stantly feel compelled to sigh. — These, and other ex- 
traordinary effects were produced by her, actually and 
miraculously; wherefore, reflecting on all this, and de- 
siring to resume my former style of writing in her 
praise, I purposed saying some words, whereby I might 
be able to make known her excellent and admirable 
powers; so that, not only those who had occasion 
actually to see her, but that others also might know as 
much of her as can be conveyed by words: and I made 
the following Sonnet. — 



10! 



Tanto gentile e tanlo onesta pare 

La donna mia quand'ella altrui saluta, 
Ch'ogni lingua divien tremando mula, 
E gli occhi non ardiscon di guardare. 

Ella sen va sentendosi laudare 
Benignamente d'umilta veslula, 
E par che sia una cosa venuta 
Di cielo in terra a miracol mostraie. 

Mostrasi si piacente a chi la mira, 

Che da per gli occhi una dolcezza al core, 
Che intender non la puo chi non la prova. 

E par che della sua labbia si muova 
Uno spirlo soave, e pien d'amore, 
Che ^a dicendo alPanima: sospira. 

Questo Somtto e si piano ad intender e, per quello 
che narrato e dinanzi, che non ha bisogno d' alcuna di- 
visione; e per 6 lasciando lui, 

Dico che questa mia donna venne in tanla grazia, 
che non solamente era onorata c laudata, ma per lei 
erano onorate e laudate molte. Ond' io veggendo cio, c 
volendol manifestare a chi cio non vedea, proposi anche 
di dire parole nelle quali cio fosse significalo, e dissi 
questo Sonetto, lo quale narra, come la sua virtu ado- 
perava nelle altre. 

Vede perfettamente ogni salute 

Chi la mia donna fra le donne vede; 
Quelle che van con lei, sono tenute 
Di bella grazia a Dio render merccde. 

E sua beltate e di tanta yirlute 

Che nulla invidia all' altre ne proccde; 
Anzi le face andar seco vestutc 



- lOo - 

My Lady doth appear so fair and chaste, 
When turning to salute the passers by, 
That every tongue grows silent tremblingly , 
And on her not an eye presumes to rest. 

She passes on (hearing her praise expressed) 
Benignly clothed in her modesty, 
And seems a thing just'lighted from the sky 
On earth, a miracle to manifest. 

Her face so charmeth those it shines upon, 
That, through the eyes, it sendelh back alway 
Sweet thoughts, which none that hath not felt can tell. 

And from her lips there seems to flow as well , 
A soft and loving Spirit, which doth say 
Unto the soul incessantly: "Sigh on!" 

This Sonnet is so easy to be understood , in conse- 
quence of the previous narrative , that it requires no di- 
vision. Leaving it therefore, I say : 

My Lady became so higly esteemed, that not only 
She was honoured and eulogized, but that many others, 
through her, were both honoured and praised. Where- 
fore, perceiving this, and wishing to make it known to 
those who had not observed it, I purposed saying a few 
words wherein it might be clearly shewn; and I made 
this Sonnet, which relates how her power operated in 
respect of other Women. 

Who sees my Fair, with Damsels compassed round, \^ 
Beholds a scene of perfect amity: 
And they who bear her company, are bound 
For such high grace to thank God heartily. — 

Such virtue in her loveliness is found, 
That Envy in her friends there cannot be; 



— 106 — 

Di gentilezza, d' amore e di fede. 
La vista sua face ogni cosa umile, 

E non fa sola se parer piacenle, 

Ma ciascuna per lei riceve onore. 
Ed e negli atti suoi tanlo gentile, 

Clie nessun la si pno recare a mente, 

Che non sospiri in dolcezza d'Araore. 

Queslo Sonelto ha tre parlL Nella prima dico tra 
che gente questa donna piu mirabile parea. Nella se- 
conda dico, come era graziosa la sua compagnia. Nella 
terza dico di quelle cose ch' ella virtuosamente operava 
in altrui. La seconda comincia quivi: Quelle che vanno. 
La terza quid: E sua bellate. Quest' ultima parte si 
divide in tre: nella prima dico quello che operava nelle 
donne, cioe per lore medesime: nella seconda dico quello 
che operava in loro per altrui: nella terza dico come non 
solamenle nelle donne operava, ma in tutle le persone, e 
non solamente nella sua presenza, ma ricordandosi di lei 
mirahilmente operava. La seconda comincia quivi: La 
\isla. La terza quivi: Ed e Degli atti. 

Appresso cio, cominciai a pensare un giorno sopra 
quello che detto avea della mia donna, cioe in quesli 
due Sonetti precedenti, e veggendo nel mio pensiero 
ch' io non avea detto di quello che al presente tempo 
adoperava in me, parvemi difettivamente aver parlato; 
e pero proposi di dire parole, nelle quali io dicessi 
come mi parea esser disposto alia sua opcrazione, c 



- 107 — 

Nay, it does make them with her tread the ground, 
Mantled in faith, love, and nobility. 

The sight of her bids all things humbly bow; 
And not to her alone such beauty gives. 
But Women all, are honoured for her sake; 

And such sweet dignity her actions shew, 
That none can bid a thought of her awake, 
But all the while soft sighs of Love he heaves. 



This Sonnet has three parts. — In the first, I stale ^ 
among what description of persons my Lady appears 
most beautiful. In the second, I say how delightful it is 
to be in her Company. In the third I speak of the effects 
produced on others by her; The second begins ^^And they 
who bear." The third. "The sight of her." This last part 
is divided into three — in the first, I speak of the effect 
which she produces on Women, immediately ; in the se- 
cond, of the effect produced on them mediately; in the 
third, of the effect produced not on Women only, but on 
persons of both sexes; and that not only in her pre- 
sence , but in a marvellous manner , by the sole recol- 
lection of her. This second part begins: "The sight of her" 
the third: "And such sweet dignity." — 

Soon after this, I was reflecting one day on what 
I had said of my Lady in the two preceding Sonnets ; 
and being satisfied in my mind that I had not spoken 
of the effects produced on me at the present time, my 
writing appeared to be defective in that respect. I there- 
fore proposed saying a few words, explaining how 
far I was disposed to be operated upon by her power, 
and how it did in fact operate upon me. — And think- 



— 108 — 

come operava in me la sua \irlude; e non credendo cio 
poter narrare in brevita di Sonclto, cominciai allora una 
Canzone la quale comincia: 

Si lungamente m'ha tenuto Amore 
E costumalo alia sua signoria, 
Che si com' egli m' era forte in pria, 
Cosi mi sla soave ora nel core: 
Pero quando mi toglie si '1 valore 
Che gli spirlli par che fuggan via, 
Allor senle la frale anima mia 
Tanta dolcezza, che '1 viso ne smore. 
Poi prende Amore in me tanta virtude 
Che fa li miei sospiri gir parlando; 
Ed escon fuor chiamando 
La donna mia per darmi piii salute: 
Queslo m' avviene ovunque ella mi vede; 
E si e cosa umil, che nol si crede. 

Quomodo sedet sola civitas plena populo! facta est 
quasi vidua Domina gentium. lo era nel proponimento 
ancora di questa Canzone, e compiula n'avea questa 
sovrascritta stanza, quando lo Signore della giustizia 
chiamo questa gentilissima a gloriare sotto I'insegna di 
quella reiua benedetta Maria , lo cui nome fue in gran- 
dissima reverenza nelle parole di questa Beatrice beata. 
Ed avvegnache forse piacerebbe al presentc trattare 
alquanto della sua partita da noi, non c mio intendi- 
mento di trattaine qui per tre ragioni. La prima si e, 
che cio non c del presente proposito, se volenio gnar- 
darc nel proemio che precede qucsto libello; la scconda 




:^^J<'d/^/rr ^yry////a/l 



— 109 — 

ing that it would be impossible to relate it in the 
compass of a Sonnet , I began the song which opens 
thus. 

Love in his grasp has held me until now: 

• So long accustomed to his seigniory, 
That cruel as at first he seemed to be 
Now sweet within my heart I feel him glow. 

But when of strength he doth deprive me, so 
That all my spirits seem to flee away^ 
Then my faint soul feels such abundancy 
Of pleasure, as sheds paleness o'er my brOw. 

And Love exerting powers most marvellous, 
Endows my sighs with speech, and makes them rove 
Calling upon my Lady Love, 

And praying her to prove more piteous. 
Thus it doth chance, whene'er she looks on me 
Filled with incredible humility. 

'^ Quomodo sedet sola civitas plena populo! facta 
est quasi vidua, Domina gentium. " — " liow doth the 
City sit solitary that was full of people! how is she he- 
come as a Widoio , she that Was great among the nations" 
Whilst I was fulfilling my purpose of writting this song, 
and had finished the above stanza, the God of Justice 
called mj most noble Lady unto glory, under the ban- 
ner of Mary, the ever blessed queen, whose name was 
always treated with the deepest reverence in the con- 
versation of the beatified Beatrice. — And albeit I might 
perhaps give pleasure by bricflly speaking of her de- 
parture from among us, yet it is not my intention to 
treat on that subject, for three reasons. The first of 
which is, that it forms no part of our present purpose, 
as may be seen by the Proemium of this little Book — 

10 



— 110 - 

si c che, posto che fosse del presenle proposilo ancora, 
non sarebbe sufficiente la mia penna a trattare, come 
si converrebbe, di cio. La terza si e che, posto che 
fosse r uno e 1' aitro, non e convenevole a me trattare 
di cio, per quello che trattando mi converrebbe essere 
lodatore di me medesimo (la qual cosa e al postutto 
biasiraevole a chi '1 fa), e pero lascio cotale trattalo ad 
altro chiosatore. Tultavia, perche molte volte 11 numero 
del nove ha preso luogo tra le parole dinanzi, onde 
pare che sia non senza ragione, e nella sua partita co- 
tale numero pare che avesse molto luogo, conviensi 
dire quindi aicuna cosa, acciocche pare al proposito 
convenirsi. Onde prima diro, come ebbe luogo nella sua 
partita, e poi ne segnero aicuna ragione, perche queslo 
numero fu a lei cotanto amico. lo dico, che secondo 
r usanza d' Italia 1' anima sua nobilissima si parti nella 
prima ora del nono giorno del mese; e secondo I'usanza 
di Siria, ella si parti nel nono mese dell' anno; perche 
il primo mese e ivi Tismim il quale a noi e oliobre. E 
secondo 1' usanza nostra ella si parti in quello anno 
delta nostra indizione, cioe degli anni Domini, in cui il 
perfetto numero nove volte era compiuto in quel centi- 
naio, nel quale in questo mondo ella fu posta: ed ella 
fu de' Cristiani del lerzo decimo centinaio. Perche que- 
sto numero le fosse tanto amico, questa potrebb' essere 



— lii - 

Ihe second is, that granted that it forms a part of our 
present undertaking, my pen would be incapable of 
treating it suitably. The third is, that granting each of 
these reasons to be the contrary of what it is, the sub- 
ject is unfitted for me, because in the treatment of it ' 
I should be forced to praise myself (which is a thing 
most reprehensible in him that does it). And therefore I 
leave such treatment to some other writer. Neverthe- 
less, as the number (9) occupied, (and apparently not 
without reason) some space in what has before been 
said, and as in her decease the said number seems to 
have had much influence, it may be right to say some- 
thing, apparently suitable to our purpose. I say then 
that according to the mode of reckoning in Italy , her 
blessed soul departed in the first hour of the ninth day 
of the month, and according to the computation in 
Syria she died in the ninth month of the year; for the 
first month is there Tismim [Tizr'i] which is our October. 
And according to our calculations, she departed in that ^ 
year of our Calendar, that is, in the year of oiir Lord, 
in which the perfect* number had been nine times com- 
pleted, in the century in which she was born into the 
world; and she was a christian of the thirteenth Cen- 
tury. ^ The following may be a reason why this 
number was so propitious to her; since, according to 
Ptolemy and the belief throughout Christendom , there 
are nine stars which move, and according to the com- 

1 The numLer 10. Vide il Convlto, p. 289. 

2 The result of all lliis circumlocution is, that Beatrice died in the first 
hour of the 9th of June 1290. And as we gather from what the Author 
says in the beginning of the Book, that she was 8 or 9 months ycung'tr than 
Dante, it is plain that at her death she was 24 years and 3 months old. 



— 112 — 
^na ragione; conciossiacosache, secondo Tolomeo e se- 
€ondo la cristiana verita, nove siano li cieli che muo- 
vono, e secondo comune opinione astrologica li detti 
cieli adoperino quaggiu secondo la loro abitudine insie- 
me; questo numero fu amico di lei per dare ad inten- 
dere che nella sua generazione tutti e nove li mobili 
cieli perfettissimamente s'aveano insieme. Questa e una 
ragione di cio; ma piu sottilmenle pensando, e secondo 
la infaliibile verita, questo numero fu ella medesima; 
per similitudine dico, e cio intendo cosi: Lo numero 
del tre e la radice del nove, perche senz' altro numero 
per se medesimo moltiplicato fa nove, siccome vedemo 
manifestamente, che tre via Ire fa nove. Dunque se il 
tre e fattore per se medesimo del nove, e lo Fattore 
de'miracoli per se medesimo e Tre, cioe Padre, e Fi- 
gliuolo e Spirito Santo, li quali sono tre ed uno, questa 
donna fu accompagnata dal numero del nove, a dare 
ad intendere che ella era un nove, cioe un miracolo, la 
cui radice e solamente la mirabile Trinitade. Forse an- 
cora per piu sottil persona si vedrebbe in cio piu sottil 
ragione, ma questa e quella ch' io ne veggio, e che piu 
mi piace. 

Poiche la gentilissiraa donna fu partita da questo 
secolo, rimase tutta la sopradetta cittade quasi vedova 
e dispogliata di ogni dignitade, ond'io ancora lagri- 
mando in questa desolata cittade, scrissi a' principi delta 
terra alquanto della sua condizione, pigliando quello 
cominciamento di Geremia: Quomodo sedet sola clvitas! 
E questo dico, acciocche altri non si meravigli, perche 
io Tabbia allegato di sopra, quasi come entrata della 



— 113 — 

mon belief, these stars have an influence on things here 
below, according to their positions; this number was 
propitious to her, in giving it to be understood that at 
the time of her Generation all the nine moving stars 
were in the most perfect conjunction. — This is one 
reason, but to use a more subtle argument and accor- 
ding to infallible truth this number was herself. I here 
employ a similitude and mean as follows: the number 
three is the square root of nine, because multiplied by 
itself it makes nine. As we plainly see, three times 
three make nine, and the Author of miracles is himself 
three, viz: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, who are 
three and one; !this Lady was accompanied by the 
number nine, in order to shew that she was a (9) that 
is, a miracle, whose only root is the adorable Trinity. 
Perhaps a person more acute than myself might see in 
this some more subtle reason; but this is what I see 
in it, and it is that which pleases me best. As soon 
as this most lovely Lady had quitted this world , the 
whole of the above mentioned City remained , as it 
were, in a state of widowhood, and despoiled of all its 
dignity; wherefore I, being left grieving in this desolate 
City, wrote to the chief persons respecting its condition, 
commencing with the words of Jeremiah " Quomodo 
sedet sola civitas! " — And I mention this , in order 
that others may not feel astonished at my having quo- 
led these words previously, as an introduction to the 
matter which followed. But if any one should blame 
me for not copying the words which follow those quo- 
ted, my excuse is, that my intention from the beginning 
has been to write in no other than the vulgar tongue : 

10* 



— 114 — 

nuova materia che appresso viene. E se alcuno volesse 
me riprendere di cio che non scrivo qui le parole che 
seguitano a quelle allegate, scusomene, perocche lo in- 
tendimenlo mio nou fu da principio di scrivere altro 
che per volgare: onde conciossiacosache le parole che 
seguitano a quelle che sono allegate, sieno tutte latine, 
sarebbe fuori del mio intendimento se io le scrivessi; e 
simile intenzione so che ebbe questo mio amico, a cui 
cio scrivo, cioe ch'io gli scrivessi solamente in volgare. 
Poiche gli occhi miei ebbero per alquanto tempo lagri- 
mato, e tanto affaticati erano ch'io non potea disfogare 
la mia tristizia, pensai di voler disfogarla con alquante 
parole dolorose; e pero proposi di fare una Canzone, 
nella quale piangendo ragionassi di lei, per cui tanto 
dolore era falto distruggitore delF anima mia; e comin- 
ciai allora: Gli occhi dolenti ec. 

Acciocche questa Canzone paia rimanere viepiu ve- 
dova dopo il suo fine, la dividero prima ch'io la scrita; 
e cotal modo terro da qui innanzi. lo dico che que- 
sta cattivella Canzone ha tre parti. La prima e proemio: 
nella seconda ragiono di lei: nella terza parlo alia Can- 
zone pietosamenle. La seconda comincia quivi: Ita n' e 
Beatrice. La terza quivi: Pietosa mia Canzone. La prima 
si divide in tre. Nella prima dico per che mi movo a dire: 
nella seconda dico a cui voglio dire: nella terza dico di 
cui voglio dire. La seconda comincia quivi: E perche mi 
ricorda. La terza quivi: E dicero. Poscia quando dico: 
Ita n' e Beatrice, ragiono di lei, e inlorno a cio fo due 
parti. Prima dico la cagione, per che tolta ne fu; ap- 
presso dice come altri piange delta sua partita, e comin- 



— 115 — 

and as the words which follow are Latin, it would 
have been contrary to my purpose to have inserted 
them. And I know that my friend to whom this is ad- 
dressed was of the same opinion, namely, that I ought 
to write wholly in the vulgar tongue. After that my 
eyes had continued to shed tears for a long time , and 
had grown so weary, that I could no longer give vent 
to my sorrow by weeping, I thought of dissipating it, 
by writing some mournful verses; and I proposed to 
myself to compose a Song, in which, whilst lament- 
ing, I might speak of her on whose account such ex- 
treme grief had been the destroyer of my life. And I 
began thus: "G/i occhi dolenti." In order that this Song 
may assume a more widowed appearance after its 
conclusion, I shall give its divisions before writing it, 
and henceforth I shall pursue the same plan. — 

This poor little song has three parts. The first is 
the Proemium; in the second I speak of her; in the third 
I address the Song itself in a tone of compassion. The 
second begins: "Gone to the highest Heaven:" the third: 
^'And now my mournful Song:" the first has three parts. 
In the first whereof I tell the occasion which moves me 
to speak; in the second to whom I address myself; this 
second part begins: " And since I well can recollect: " 
the third: "And afterwards lamenting." After this, in 
the words: "Gone to the highest." / speak of her; di- 
viding the subject into two parts. First the reason why 
she was taken away, and next, the manner in which her 
loss teas lamented by others. And this part begins: " So 
from her lovely body. " This part is subdivided into 



)C 



— 116 — 

cia questa parte quivi: Partissi della sua. Questa parte 
si divide in tre: nella prima dico chi non la piange; nella 
seconda dico chi la piange; nella terza dico della mia 
condizione. La seconda comincia quivi: Ma n' hai Iristi- 
zia e doglia. La terza: Dannomi angoscia. Fascia quando 
dico: Pietosa mia Canzone, parlo a questa mia Canzone 
designandole a quali donne sen vada, e steasi con loro. 

Gli occhi, dolenti per pieta del core, 

Hanno di lagrimar sofTerta pena 

Si che per vinti son rimasi omai. 

Ora s' io voglio sfogar lo dolore 

Ch'appoco appoco alia morte mi mena, 

Convenemi parlar traendo guai. 

E perclie rai ricorda ch' io parlai 

Delia mia donna, mentre che vivia, 

Donne gentili, volentier con vui, 

Non vo'parlarne altrui, 

Se non a cor gentil che 'n donna sia. 

E dicero di lei piangendo pui 

Che se n'e gila in ciel subitamente, 

Ed ha lasciato Amor meco dolente. 
Ita n' e Beatrice in 1' alto cielo , 

Nel reame ove gli Angeli hanno pace, 

E sta con loro; e voi, donne, ha lasciate. 

Non la ci tolse quali ta di gelo, 

Ne di calor siccome 1' altre face; 

Ma sola fu sua gran benignilate. 

Che luce della sua umilitate 

Passo li cieli con lanta virtute, 

Che fe' maravigliar I'eterno Sire, 

Si che dolce desire 

Lo giunse di chiamar tanta salute; 

E fella di quaggiuso a se venire; 

Perche veda ch' esta vita noiosa 

Non era degna di si gentil cosa. 



— 117 — 

three; in the first I speak of those who do not lament 
her; in the second of those who do; and in the third of 
my own condition. The second begins. "But heavy pain 
and woe:" the third: " With grievous Anguish." After- 
wards in the words: " And now my mournful Song." / 
address my song, and designate the Ladies to whom it 
is to go, and with whom it is to remain. 

Mine eyes through anguish of my heart lament; 
And by long weeping they have suffered so, 
TJiat utterly subdued they now remain. 
If I desire to give that sorrow vent 
Which leads me on to death with measure slow, 
I needs must speak in tones of bitter pain. 
And since 1 well can recollect how fain 
(Before my Lady did from life depart) 
I talked of her to you, fair Dames, alone; 
So now I'll speak to none. 
Except it be to Woman's gentle heart; 
And afterwards, lamenting, I'll go on 
And say, "she's fled to Heaven suddenly, 
Leaving behind her, Love, to mourn with me." 

Gone to the highest Heaven is Beatrice; 
E'en to that realm where Angels find repose. 
She leaves you, Women! there with them t' abide. 
Nor heat nor cold diverse in hurtfulness 
Stole her from us, as other souls it does: 
But 'twas her own sweet nature, nought beside. 
For her humility's bright sunny tide 
Did with such virtue pierce the Heavens through 
As filled with wonder the Almighty sire; 
And so a sweet desire 
To call such holiness, within Him grew; 
And from below He bade her thus aspire. 
And come to Him: seeing this world of care 
Was all unworthy of a thing so fair. 



— 118 — 

Partissi della sua bella persona 
Piena di grazia 1' anima gentile 
Ed essi gloriosa in loco degno. 
Chi non la piange, quando ne ragiona, 
Core ha di pietra si malvagio e vile 
Ch' entrar non vi pud spirito benegno. 
Non e di cor villan si alto ingegno, 
Che possa immaginar di lei alquanto, 
E pero non gli vien di pianger voglia: 
Ma n' ha tristizia e doglia 
Di sospirare e di raorir di pianto, 
E d' ogni consolar 1' anima spoglia 
Chi vede nel pensiero alcuna volta 
Qual ella fu, e com' ella n' e toUa. 

Dannomi angoscia li sospiri forte, 

Quando il pensiero nelia mente grave 
Mi reca quella che m' ha 11 cor diviso: 
E spesse fiate pensando la morte, 
Me ne viene un desio tanto soave, 
Che mi tramuta lo color nel viso. 
Quando 1' immaginar mi tien ben fiso 
Giungemi tanta pena d'ogni parte, 
Ch' io mi riscuoto per dolor ch' io sen to; 
E si falto divento, 
Che dalle genti vergogna mi parte: 
Poscia piangendo, sol nel mio lamento 
Chiamo Beatrice; e dico: or se' tu morta ! 
E mentre ch' io la chiamo mi conforta. 

Pianger di doglia, e sospirar d' angoscia 
Mi strugge il core, ovunque sol mi trovo, 
Si che ne increscerebbe a chi '1 vedesse: 
E qual' e slata la mia vita, poscia 
Che la mia donna ando nel secol novo, 
Lingua non e che dicer lo sapesse: 
E pero, donne mie, per ch' io volesse, 
Non vi saprei ben dicer ch' io sono; 
Si mi fa travagliar I'acerba vita, 



— 119 - 

So from her lovely body issued forth 
The gentle spirit, which replete with grace - 
Dwells in its fitting home, beatified. 
And he who weeps not, telling of her worth, 
Ownetli a heart of stone so hard, so base, 
That no kind feeling can therein reside. 
No vulgar mind hath grasp of thought so wide 
As may her image but in part embrace. 
And therefore such lament not for her now; 
But heavy pain and woe 
(Which sighs and weeps itself to death apace. 
Putting otf every joy the soul can know,) 
Become the lot of him whose thoughts display 
That which she was, and how she's ta 'en away. ^ 

With grievous anguish fraught is every sigh. 
When memory to my burdened mind recalls 
Her image who doth rend my heart in twain. 
And when on death I ponder, frequently 
A tender longing o'er my spirit falls. 
Which stealeth from my cheek life's hues again. 
And if the Vision hold me firmly then , 
Such woes on every side assail my mind, 
That I am wakened by my sufifering , 
And turn to such a thing. 
That very shame doth make me shun my kind. 
Then I lament, alone and sorrowing. 
Saying "0 Beatrice, thou'rt dead and gone" — 
And whiles I call, she sends me comfort down. 

Tears of distraction , sighs of anguish burst 
From my full heart whene'er alone I stray. 
And all men that behold must grieve for me. 
But what this life of mine has been since first 
To her new state my Lady took her way. 
No human tongue can picture worthily. 
And therefore gentle Dames, though 1 should try, 
I have no power to tell you of my state; 
This harsh existence bringeth me such woe 



~ 120 — 

La quale e si invilita 

Che ogni uom par che mi dica: io t' abbandono , 
Vedendo la mia labbia tramortita. 
Ma qual ch' io sia, la mia donna sel vede, 
Ed io ne spero ancor da lei mercede. 
Pietosa mia Canzone, or va'piangendo, 
E ritrova le donne e le donzelle, 
A cui le tue sorelle 
Erano usate di portar letizia: 
E tu, che sei figliuola di Irislizia, 
Yatten disconsolata a star con elle. 

Poiche delta fu questa Canzone, si venne a me 
uno, il quale, secondo li gradi deU'amistade, era amico 
a me immediatamenie dopo il primo ; e questo fa tanto 
distretto di sanguinita con questa gloriosa, che nullo 
piu presso 1' era. E poiche fu meco a ragionare, mi 
prego che io gli dovessi dire alcuna cosa per una donna 
che s'era morta; e simulava sue parole acciocche pa- 
resse che dicesse d' un' altra, la quale morla era corta- 
mente: ond' io accorgendomi che questi dicea solo per 
quella benedetta, dissi di fare cio che mi domandava Io 
suo prego. Ond'io poi pensando a cio, proposi di fare 
uu Sonetto, nel quale mi lamentassi alquanto, e di 
darlo a questo mio amico, acciocche paresse, che per 
lui r avessi fatto; e dissi allora Yenite a intendere ec. 

Questo Sonetto ha due parti. Nella prima chiamo li 
fedeli d'Amore che m' inlendano. Nella seconda narro 



- 121 — 

And I am sunk so low, 
That all men seem to leave me desolate, 
Seeing my face such death-like semblance show. 
But what I am my Lady sees, and she 
Will therefore as I trust compensate me. 
And now my mournful song, go weeping forth 
To find those Dames and Damsels unto whom 
Thy sisters used to come 

* Bearers of gladsome thoughts; and now depart 
Daughter of Melancholy as thou art ! 
And dwell with them in suffering and gloom. 

After the composition of this Sonnet, there came 
to me one who in the degrees of friendship stood im- 
mediately after the flrst; one, as closely connected by 
blood with her who was glorified, as was possible. * 
After we had conversed a while, he begged me to write 
something upon a Lady who had lately died; dissem- 
bling his meaning, that he might seem to refer to one 
whose death had occurred a short time before. — 
Perceiving that he was in fact speaking only of the 
Beatified one, I consented to do that which he had re- 
quested. And when I reflected on the subject, I purposed 
making a Sonnet and giving it to this my friend , in 
which I might deplore my own condition, but in such 
sort, as that it might appear to have been made with 
reference to him. I then wrote: ^^Venite a intendere," 

This sonnet is in two parts, in the first 1 call upon 
Love's faithful subjects to listen to me, and in the se- 

* The previons Ballads and Sonnets, which although melancholy enough 
in tone , carried happiness to others , inasmuch as they spoke the praises of Bea- 
trice, now no more. 

3 The Brother of Beatrice. 

11 



~ 122 — 

delta mia miser a condizione. La seconda comincia quivi: 
Li quai disconsolati. 

Venile a intender li sospiri miei, 

O cor gen till, clie piela il desia; 

Li quai disconsolati vanno via, 

E s' e' non fosser, di dolor morrei; 
Perche gli occhi mi saretber rei 

Molle fiate piu, ch' io non vorria, 

Lasso I di pianger si la donna mia, 

Che sfogherei lo cor piangendo lei. 
Voi udirete lor chiamar sovente 

La mia donna gentil che se n' e gita 

Al secol degno della sua virtute; 
E dispregiar talora questa vita 

In persona dell' anima dolente 

Abbandonata dalla sua salute. 

Poiche delto ebbi questo Sonetto, pensando chi 
questi era, cui lo intendeva dare quasi come per lui 
fatto, vidi che povero mi pareva lo servigio e nudo a 
cosi distrelta persona di questa gloriosa. E pero innanzi 
ch'io gli dessi questo Sonetto, dissi due stanze di una 
Canzone, 1' una per costui veracemente, e 1' altra per 
me, avvegnacbe paia Tuna e F altra per una persona 
detta, a chi non guarda sotlilmente. Ma chi sottilmente 
le mira vede bene che diverse persone parlano; in cio 
che Tuna non chiama sua donna costei, e T altra si 
come appare manifestamenle. Questa Canzone e questo 
Sonetto gli diedi dicendo io che per lui solo fatto Tavea. 



— 123 — 

cond, I speak of my own miserable stale. The second 
begins "Disconsolate." 

Come gentle hearts, and listen to my sighs; 
For Pity bids you — see ! away they fly 
Disconsolate, and I of Grief should die 
If they escaped not from me in such wise. 

For oftener far than I could wish, mine eyes 
Would be indebted to me heavily * 
For tears to weep my Lady gone on high, 
If I would ease my heart by tears and sighs. 

And oftentimes ye then will hear them name 
My gentle Lady, gone away afar, 
And in a realm befitting her received. 

Then they will also heap reproach and blame 
On Life, seen in a soul worn down by care. 
And of its all of happiness bereaved. 

After having composed this Sonnet, reflecting who 
the person was to whom I intended to give it as if it 
referred to himself, I felt that I was rendering a poor 
and barren service to one so nearly connected with that 
glorifled being; and therefore, before giving it to him, 
I wrote two stanzas of a Song, one really adapted to 
him, the other to myself, although to a person who 
does not look into them narrowly they appear to be 
intended for one and the same person. But whoever 
closely examines them may clearly perceive that more 
than one individual is speaking: more especially as the 
one calls her ^'My Lady" and the other does not, as 
is most apparent. I gave him this song, as well as the 

* His eyes had wppt so much that ihey had become dry: And therefore 
wheo he wished to shed tears, they were incapable of doing so, or in other 
words , were indebted in the amount of tears required. 



— 124 — 

La Canzone comincia: Quantunque volte, ed ha due 
parti. Nell* una, cioe nella prima stanza, si lamenta que- 
sto mio caro amico, distrelto a lei; nella seconda mi la- 
mento io, cioe neWaltra stanza che comincia: E'si rac- 
coglie. E cosl appare che in questa Canzone si lamentano 
due persone, V una delle quali si lamenta come fratello, 
V altra come servitore, 

Quantunque volte, lasso! mi rimembra 
Ch' io non debbo giaramai 
Veder la donna, ond'io vo si dolenle, 
Tanto dolore intorno al cor m' assembra 
La dolorosa mente, 

Ch'i'dico: anima mia, che non ten vai? 
Che li lorraenti che tu porterai 
Nel secol che t'e gia tanto noioso, 
Mi fan pensoso di paura forte; 
Ond'io chiarao la Morte, 
Come soave e dolce mio riposo; 
E dico: vieni a me; con tanto amore, 
Ch' io sono astioso di chiunque muore. 

E' si raccoglie negli miei sospiri 
Un suono di pietade, 
Che va chiaraando Morte tuttavia. 
A lei si volser tutti i miei desiri, 
Quando la Donna mia 
Fu giunta dalla sua crudelitate: 
Perche il piacere della sua beltate, 
Partendo se dalla nostra veduta 
Divenne splrital bellezza e grande, 
Che per Io cielo spande 
Luce d'Amor, che gli Angeli saluta, 
E Io intelletto loro alto e sottile 
Face maravigliar; tanto e gentile. 



- 125 - 

Sonnet, saying that I had made them in reference to 
him only. The song begins: ^^ Whenever alas!" and is in 
two parts; in the one (that is, .in the first stanza) my 
dear friend so nearly allied to her, makes his lamenta- 
tion; in the second I deplore my own condition, that 
is to say, in the stanza which begins: ^^ Death intermin- 
gled with my sighs." And thus it is clear that in this 
song two persons express their grief, the one as a Bro- 
ther, the other as a servant. 

Whene'er alas I the thought comes o'er my mind 
That I must never see 
The Lady fair for whom I weeping go, 
Such woes concentered in my heart I find 
Which from my mind o'erflow , 
That I exclaim: "0 Soul, why dost not flee? 
For the afflictions which shall weigh on thee 
In this my life (e'en now replete with pain ) 
Sunk as I am, through fear do make me brave;" 
So calling upon death I rave, 
As though a sweet and soft repose to gain. 
"Come." I exclaim, with Love amid my cries. 
Strong as my envy for whoever dies. 
-.^^ Death, intermingled with my sighs hath heard 
A voice of piteous sound 
Which doth incessantly upon him call. 
All my desires to him at once referred 
When my fair Dame was found 
Beneath his savage cruelly to fall. 
For then her grace of form corporeal. 
Passing away from ken of mortal eye. 
Became a beauty vast and spiritual; 
Spreading Love's light o'er all 

The Heavens, by Angels worshipped reverently; i \ 
And striking e'en their lofty subtle mind ' ^ 

With awe, so perfect is it, so refined. r f 






- 126 - 

In quel giorno, nel quale si compiva Y anno che 
questa donna era fatta de' cittadini di vita eterna, io 
mi sedea in parte nella quale ricordandomi di lei dise- 
gnava un Angelo sopra certe tavolelte: e mentre io '1 
disegnava, volsi gli occhi, e vidi lungo me uomini 
a' quali si convenia di fare onore, e che riguardavano 
quello ch'io facea: e secondo che mi fu detto poi, egli 
erano stati gia alquanto anzi che io me n' accorgessi. 
Quando li vidi, mi levai, e salutando loro dissi: "Altri 
era teste meco, e percio pensava." Onde partiti costoro, 
ritornaimi alia mia opera, cioe del disegnare figure 
d'Angeli, e facendo cio, mi venne un pensiero di dire 
parole per rima, quasi per annovale di lei, e scrivere a 
costoro, li quali erano venuti a me: e dissi allora que- 
sto Sonetto, che comincia Era venuta, Io quale ha due 
cominciamenti, e pero Io dividero secondo F uno e 
r altro. 

Dico che secondo il iprimo, questo Sonetto ha tre 
parti. Nella prima dico che questa donna era gia nella 
mia memorial nella seconda dico quello che Amore pero 
mi facea: nella terza dico degli effetti d'Amore. La se- 
conda comincia quivi: Amor che, la terza quivi: Pian- 
gendo usciano. Questa parte si divide in due. Nell' una 
dico che tutti i miei sospiri usciano parlando; nelV altra 
dico come alquanti diceano certe parole diverse dagli al- 
tri. La seconda comincia quivi: Ma quelli. Per questo 



- 127 — 

On that day which completed the year in which 
my Lady was made a Citizen of the World eternal , I 
was sitting on a certain spot, where (whiles I thought 
on her) I designed on a Tablet the form of an Angel. 
And being in the act of drawing, 1 turned my eyes 
round , and saw at my side certain persons entitled to 
my respect, looking at' that which I was engaged in 
doing. According to what I was afterwards told , they 
had been there some time before I perceived them. 
When I saw them I arose and saluted them and said , 
"Another person was with me just now, and for that 
cause I was in meditation. " — As soon as they were 
gone, I returned to my occupation, namely, designing 
the form of an Angel, and whilst I was so employed , 
an idea came across me, of writing a sort of Anniver- 
sary Poem on her, in rhyme, addressed to those persons 
who had come to see me; and I then made the Sonnet 
which begins "Era venuta." — which has two begin- 
nings; I shall therefore divide it in relation to each of 
them. 

Taking the first beginning I say, that this Sonnet 
has three parts; in the first of which I state that my 
Lady did already abide in my thoughts; in the second, 
I tell how Love operated upon me in consequence; in the 
third I speak of the effects of Love; the second begins : 
"Love who etc. ;" the third "Bathed in tears." this part 
is subdivided into two; in the one I say that all my sighs 
went forth and spoke; in the other I relate the words 
which certain of them said, differing from the others. — 
The second begins, "But those." In a similar manner 



— 128 — 
medesimo modo si divide secondo V allro cominciamento , 
salvo che nella prima parte dico quando questa donna 
era cosl venuta nella mia mentCf e cio non dico nel- 
V altro. 

Primo cominciamento. 

Era venuta nella raente mia 

La gentil donna, che per suo valore 
Fu posta dair altissimo Signore 
Nel Ciel delP umiltate, ov' e Maria. 

Secondo cominciamento. 

Era venuta nella mente mia 

Quella donna gentil, cui piange Amore, 
Entro quel punto che lo suo valore 
Vi trasse a riguardar quel ch' io facia. 

Amor che nella mente la senlia 
S'era svegliato nel distrutto core, 
E diceva a'sospiri: Andate fuore: 
Per che ciascun dolente sen partia. 

Piangendo usciano fuor dello mio petto 
Con una voce che sovente mena 
Le lagrirae dogliose agli occhi tristi. 

Ma quegli che n' uscian con magior pena 
Venien dicendo: o nobile intelletto, 
Oggi fa r anno che nel ciel salisti. 

Poi per alquanto tempo, conciofossecosache io fossi 
in parte nella quale mi ricordava del passato tempo, 
molto stava pensoso, e con dolorosi pensamenti lanto 
che mi faceano parere di fuori una vista di terribile 
sbigottimento. Ond' io, accorgendomi del mio travaglia- 
re, levai gli occhi per vedere s' altri me vedesse; e vidi 



— 129 — 
( taking the other stanza as a beginning ) the Division 
may he made; except that in the first I say the time 
when this Lady entered my thoughts , ivhich I do not 
mention in the other. 

First Beginning. 

The gentle Dame, whom for her merits rare 
The Lord Omnipotent in Heaven had placed, 
(The Heaven of peace, by blessed Mary graced): 
Deigned in the region of my thoughts appear. 

Second Beginning. 

The gentle Dame, for whom Love sheds a tear, 
(Just at the time when he your footsteps drew 
Tow'rds me by his vast power, my work to view) 
Deigned in the region of my thoughts appear. 

Love, who within my mind perceived her near, 
Awoke from slumber in my broken heart. 
And said unto my sighs. "Arise! depart I" 
Bathed in tears they issued from my breast, 
With voices such as bring to mournful eyes 
The frequent tear of misery and woe. 

But those which came more sadly than the rest, 
Departing said, "O mind beyond all price. 
On this day year thou didst to Heaven go I" 

Some time afterwards, as I was standing on a spot 
which brought times past lo my remembrance, I became 
greatly dejected, and indeed so overcome by my sad 
thoughts, as to exhibit iix my appearance a fearful de- 
gree of melancholy. Wherefore, being well aware of 
my wretched looks, I raised mine eyes to see if I was 
not observed by any one , and beheld a noble young 



130 — 



■^1 

lan- ■ 



una gentil donna giovane e bella molto, la quale 
una fenestra mi riguardava molto pietosamente quan- 
t'alla vista; sicche tutta la pietade pareva in lei accol- 
ta. Onde, conciossiacosache quando i miseri veggono 
di loro compassione altrui, piu tosto si muovono al la- 
grimare, quasi come se di se stessi avessero pietade, io 
sentii allora li miei occhi cominciare a voler piangere; 
e pero, temendo di non mostrare la mia vile yita, mi 
partii dinanzi dagli occhi di questa gentile; e dicea pot 
fra me medesimo: "E' non puo essere, che con quella 
pietosa donna non sia nobilissimo amore/' E pero proposi 
di dire un Sonelto, nel quale io parlassi a lei, e con-«| 
chiudessi tutto cio che narrato e in questa ragione. E 
pero che questa ragione e assai manifesta, nol divi- 
dero. 

Videro gli occhi miei quanta piotate 

Era apparita in la vostra figura, 

Quando guardaste gli atti e la stalura 

Ch' io facia pel dolor molte fiale. 
Allor m' accorsi che voi pensate 

La qualila della mia vita oscura, 

Sicche mi giunse nello cor paura 

Di diraoslrar negli occhi mia viltate. 
E tolsimi dinanzi a voi, sentendo 

Che si movean le lagrime dal core 

Ch' era sommosso dalla vostra vista. 
Io dicea poscia neU'anima trista: 

Ben e con quella donna quell'Amore, 

Lo qual mi face andar cosi piangendo. 

Avvenne poi che ovunque questa donna mi vedea 
si facea d'una vista pietosa e d'un color pallido, quasi 



— 131 — 

Lady of great beauty at a window, who seemed to 
cast looks of extreme pity on me; so much so indeed 
that pity itself seemed centred in her. Wherefore as the 
wretched , at sight of other's compassion for them are 
more easily moved to tears (as though by pity for them- 
selves), so I felt at that moment in my eyes a strong 
disposition to weep. But being afraid to show the wretch- 
edness of my condition, I went away out of sight of 
this noble Lady, and said afterwards within myself, 
"The love of a Lady so compassionate cannot but be a 
noble thing." And I forthwith proposed making a Sonnet 
which should sing of her, and in which all that I have 
above related should be comprised; and as the story is 
plain enough, I shall not divide it. 

How vast the pity which mine eyes did see, 
In thy soft countenance so well pourtrayed, 
When my sad gestures and my looks dismayed 
(Offspring of grief) were manifest to thee. 

Then thought I that thy mind dwelt pensively 
Upon the cause of this ray life's dark shade. 
And terror thus my wretched heart o'erlayed 
Lest that mine eyes should show my misery. 

And then I felt, as from thy sight I went, 
Tears from my inmost heart begin to move; 
(That heart excited by thy pitying look) 

Then said 1 in my soul by sorrow broken, 
"Sure it were well that noble Dame to love, 
* With the same love which makes me now lament." 

It so happened, that wherever I saw this Lady, 
her countenance appeared full of pity, and her com- 

^ With the pure love he had felt for Beatrice whom he now laments. 



— 132 ^ 

come d* amore: onde molte flate mi ricordava della mia 
nobilissima dooDa, che di simile colore mi si mostrava. 
E cerlo molte volte non potendo lagrimare ne disfogare 
la mia tristizia, io andava per vedere questa pietosa 
donna, la quale parea che tirasse le lagrime fuori delli 
miei occhi per la sua vista. E pero mi venne anche vo- 
lontade di dire parole, parlando a lei; e dissi questo 
Sonetto, che comincia Color d' amore, e ch'e piano 
senza dividerlo per la sua precedente ragione. 

Color d' amore, e di pieta sembianti 
Non preser mai cosi mirabilmenle 
Viso di donna per veder sovente 
Occhi gentili e dolorosi pianii, 

Come lo vostro, qualora davanti 
Vedelevi la mia labbia dolente, 
Si che per voi mi vien cosa alia menle, 
Ch' io temo forte, non lo cor si schianti. 

Io non posso tener gli occhi distrutti 
Che non riguardin voi molte fiate 
Pel desiderio di pianger ch' elli hanno. 

E voi crescete si lor volonlate, 

Che della voglia si consuman tuiti. 
Ma lagrimar dinanzi a voi non sanno. 

Io venni a tanto per la vista di questa donna, 
che li miei occhi si cominciaro a dilettare troppo di ve- 
derla, onde molte volte me ne cruciava, ed avevamene 
per vile assai; e piu volte bestemmiava la vanita degli 
occhi miei, e dicea loro nel mio pensiero: "Or voi sole- 
vate far piangere chi vedea la vostra dolorosa condi- 



— 133 - 

plexion pale, as though she were enamoured. Which 
circumstances frequently reminded me of my most 
noble Lady, who always had a similar complexion. 
Certain it is, that I often went to see this compassionate 
Lady when I was unable to weep, or give vent to my 
grief, because the sight of her seemed to draw the 
tears from my eyes. Moreover a desire came upon me 
to write some lines addressed to her, and I composed 
the sonnet which begins: ^^ Color d' amove." Which is 
quite intelligible from the preceding narrative , without 
any division. \ 

The hue of love, the look which pity wears, ./^34 ,^^!\. \ 

Never did overspread so wondrously 

A woman's face when gazing frequently 

On beauteous eyes and floods of mournful te? 
As they do thine, when in thy sight appears 

My face expressive of great misery; 

So that I recollect, by means of thee, 

Things which will break my heart, as much it fears; 
I have not strength my wearied eyes to stay i 

From bending on thee oftentimes their glance, j 

Urged by that wish for tears which they possess; ^ 

And thou their longing dost so much enhance, | 

That through the vain desire they waste away, I 

But know not how to weep before thy face. 

The sight of this Lady had such an effect upon 
me that my eyes began to take too great delight in \ 

looking at her, on which account I was angry with '. 

myself and considered my conduct as vile; and I fre- 
quently cursed the fickleness of my eyes, and said to 
them within myself: "You were wont to make those 1 

weep who saw your miserable condition, but now you 

12 '[ 




~ 13i — 

zione, ed oria pare che vogliate dimenticarlo per quesla 
donna che vi mira, e che non vi mira se non in quanlo 
le pesa della gloriosa donna di cui pianger solete. Ma 
quanlo far potete, fate; che io la vi rimembrero molto 
spesso, maledetti occhi; che mai, se non dopo la morte, 
non dovrebbero le vostre lagrime aver rislato." E quando 
fra me medesimo cosi avea detto alii miei occhi, e li 
sospiri m' assaliano grandissimi ed angosciosi. Ed ac- 
ciocche questa battaglia che io avea meco non rima- 
nesse saputa pur dal misero che la sentia, proposi di 
fare un Sonetto, e di comprendere in esso questa orri- 
bile condizione, e dissi questo che comincia L'amaro 
lagrimar. 

II Sonetto ha due parti; nella prima parlo agli oc- 
chi miei siccome parlava Io mio core in me medesimo ;\ 
nella seconda rimovo alcuna dubitazione, manifestandc 
chi e che cost parla; e questa parte comincia quivi: Cosij 
dice. Potrebbe bene ancora ricevere piii divisioni, ma sa- 
rebbe indarno, percM e manifesto per la precedente ra- 
gione. 

T/amaro lagrimar che voi faceste, 
Occhi miei, cosi lunga sfagione, 
Faceva lagrimar 1' allre persone 
Dalla pieta, siccome voi vedesle. 

Ora mi par che voi I'oblieresle, 
S' io fossi dal mio lato si fellone, 
Ch' io non yen dislurbassi ogni cagione, 
Membrandovi colei cui voi piangesle. 

La vostra vanita mi fa pensare 

E spavenlami si ch' io temo forte 
Del viso d'una donna che vi mira. 



— 133 — 

seem to wish to forget it, on account of this Lady who 
looks at you, but who only does so in proportion as 
she thinks on that glorious Lady, for whom you are 
accustomed to weep; bat whatever is in your power to 
do, that do; for I will often call her to your remem- 
brance. O accursed eyes ! never until death should 
your tears have stopped flowing." — And having inter- 
nally spoken thus to my eyes, I was assailed by sighs , 
deep and full of anguish. And in order that this contest 
with myself might not remain unknown, except to the 
wretched being who endured it, I purposed making a 
sonnet, which should contain a description of my hor- 
rible condition, and I wrote that which begins ^^Vamaro 
lagrimar." 



This Sonnet has two parts. — In the first 1 
to my eyes according to my heart's dictation; in the se- 
cond I remove a doubt by showing who it is that thus 
speaks; and this part begins. ^^Thus speaks ec." — many 
other divisions might be made, but they are unnecessary 
on account of the preceding narrative.-— 

The bitter tears wherewith ye did o'erflow 
Poor eyes of mine! for such a weary while, 
Full many a time did other men beguile 
Of pitying drops, as ye have seen and know. 

Methinks you could forget that this was so, 
If I too had become so false and vile 
As not to vex you, and your joy to spoil 
By naming her you wept for long ago. 

I am perplexed by this your fickleness. 
And so disturbed, that now I greatly dread 
That Lady's ftice who doth contemplate you. 



— 136 — 

Voi non dovreste mai se non per morte 
La nostra donna, ch'e morla, obliare: 
Cosi dice il mio core, e poi sospira. 

Recommi la vista di questa donna in si nova con 
dizione, che molte volte ne pensava come di persona 
che troppo mi piacesse; e pensava di lei cosi: "Questa 
una donna gentile, bella, giovane e savia, ed apparita 
forse per volonta d'Amore, acciocche la mia vita si ri- 
posi." E molte volte pensava piu amorosamente tanto 
che il core consentiva in lui, cioe nel mio ragionare. E 
quando avea consentito cio, io mi ripensava siccome 
dalla ragione mosso, e dicea fra me medesimo:" Dehciie 
pensiero e questo, che in cosi vile modo mi vuol conso- 
lare, e non mi lascia quasi altro pensare!" Poi si rile- 
vava un altro pensiero, e dicea: "Or che tu se' stato in 
tanta tribolazione d'Amore, pcrche non vuoi tu ritrarti 
da tanta amaritudine? Tu vedi che questo e uno spira- 
mento che ne reca li desiri d'Amore dinanzi, ed e mosso 
da cosi gentil parte com' e quella degli occhi della donna 
che tanto pietosa ti s'e mostrata." Ond' io avendo cosi 
piu volte combattuto in me medesimo, ancora ne voUi 
dire alquante parole; e perocche la baltaglia de' pen- 
sieri vinceano coloro che per lei parlavano, mi parve 
che si convenisse di parlare a lei, e dissi quesfo Sonetto, 
il quale comincia Gentil pensiero; e dissi gentile in quanto 
ragionava a gentil donna, che per altro era vilissimo. 



1 

e 11 



— 137 - 

Ye never, of our gentle Lady dead 
(Except in death) should know forgetfulness. 
Thus speaks my heart, and then it sighs anew. 

The sight of this Lady brought me into a state so 
unwonted, that I oftentimes indulged in thoughts of 
her, as of one who pleased me exceedingly. And I made 
the following reflections. — "This Lady is noble, hand- 
some, young and intelligent, and it is perhaps by Love's 
decree that she has appeared to me, in order to render 
my life more tranquil." — And sometimes I thought of 
her more affectionately, in so much that my heart con- 
sented, that is to say, approved my reasoning. — And 
after having given this consent, moved as it were by 
my reason I undeceived myself and said inwardly , 
" Alas! what thoughts are these, which seek to console 
me in so vile a manner, and scarcely leave me the 
power of thinking of any thing else?" — then another 
thought arose saying — '^ Since thou hast suffered such 
tribulation on account of Love, why wilt thou not ex- 
tricate thyself from thy sufferings? — thou seest that it 
is a Spirit which excites all the desires of Love in thee, 
coming from nothing less lovely than the eyes of that 
Lady who has shown so much pity for thee;" wherefore, 
having many times contested the matter within myself, 
I felt a desire to say something concerning it; and as 
the thoughts which spoke in favour of that Lady had 
won the battle, I considered it right to say something 
of her, and made the sonnet which begins ^^ Gentil pen- 
siero. " And I use the word " Genlile " because I speak 
of that graceful Lady, otherwise such use of the w^ord 
would be vile. 

12* 



— 138 — 

In questo Sonetto fo due parti di me secondo che li 
miei pensieri erano in due divisi. Vuna parte chiamo 
cuore, cioe V appetito; V altro anima, cioe la ragione; 
e dico come V uno dice alV altro. E che degno sia chia- 
mare r appetito cuore, e la ragione anima, assai e mani- 
festo a coloro a cui mi place che cio sia aperto. Vero e 
che nel precedente Sonetto to fo la parte del cuore contra 
a quella degli occhi, e cio pare contrario di quel cU io 
dico nel presente; e per 6 dico che anche ivi il cuore in- 
iendo per V appetito, perocche maggior desiderio era il 
mio ancora di ricordarmi delta gentiliss'ima donna mia, 
che di vedere costei, avvegnache alcuno appetito ne avessi 
gid, ma leggier par esse: onde appare che Vuno detto non 
e contrario alV altro. Questo Sonetto ha tre parti: nella 
prima comincio a dire a questa donna come lo mio desi- 
derio si volge tutto verso lei: nella seconda dico come 
V anima, cioe la ragione, dice al cuore, cioe aW appetito: 
nella terza dico come le risponde. La seconda comincia 
quivi: V anima dice; la terza quivi: Ei le risponde. 

Gentil pensiero, che parla di vui 

Sen viene a diraorar meco sovente, 
E ragiona d'Amor si dolcemente 
Che face consenlir lo core in lui. 

L' anima dice al cor: chi e cestui, 

Che viene a consolar la nostra mente; 

Ed e la sua virtu tanto possente, 

Ch' altro pensier non lascia star con nui? 

Ei le risponde: o aniraa pensosa, 

Questi e uno spiritel nuovo d'Amore, 
Che reca innanzi a me li suoi desiri: 

E la sua vita, e tullo il suo valore 



— 139 — 
/ divide this Sonnet into two parts , according to 
the division of my thoughts into two parties , the one 1 
call "cuore" (heart) that is, desire; the other, "Anima" 
[soul] that is, reason. And I relate how each speaks to 
the other. And that it is right to call desire, heart : and 
reason, soul: is plain enough lo those who I wish should 
find it so. It is true that in the preceding sonnet I make 
the heart act contrary to the eyes , which thing seems 
opposed to what I here say; and I therefore declare that 
in the former I mean by heart, desire; since my desire 
to recollect my most lovely Lady was stronger than my 
desire to see the other , although I had some desire for 
the latter, however small it might seem to be — whence 
it appears that the expression in the one is not contrary 
to that in the other. — This Sonnet has three divisions. 
In the first, I begin by telling this Lady how all my 
desires tend towards her; in the second , how my soul 
(that is, reason) speaks to my heart (that is, desire) ; in 
the third, I give its answer. The second begins " The 
soul then asks " the third, "The heart replies." 

A graceful thought doth oftimes come to me, 
And dwell heside me, telling me of you: 
And reasoning of Love so pleasantly. 
It makes the heart consent and deem it true. 

The soul then asks the heart, "I pray thee, who 
Is this that soothes our mind? say, can there be 
Virtue in him of such high quality 
As not to let us other thoughts pursue?" 

The heart replies: '^0 soul, with grief weighed down, 
'Tis a small Spirit newly sent by Love, 
Whose warm desires into my sight it brings; 

And all its virtue and its life doth move 



— 140 - 



Mosse dagli occhi di quella pietosa 
Che si turbava de' nostri martiri. 



Contro questo avversario della ragione si levo un 
di quasi nelFora di nona una forte imaginazione in me: 
che mi parea vedere questa gloriosa Beatrice con quelle 
vestimenta sanguigne colle quali apparve prima agli 
occhi miei. e pareami giovane in simile etade a quella, 
in che prima la vidi. AUora incominciai a pensare di 
lei; e secondo I'ordine del tempo passato, ricordando- 
mene, lo mio core incomincio dolorosamente a pentirsi 
del desiderio, a cui cosi vilmente s' avea lasciato posse- 
dere alquanti di contro alia costanza della ragione: e 
discacciato questo cotal malvagio desiderio, si rivolsero 
tutti i miei pensameati alia loro gentilissima Beatrice. 
E dico che d' allora innanzi cominciai a pensare di lei 
si con tutto il vergognoso cuore, che li sospiri manife- 
stavano cio molte volte; pero che quasi futti diceano 
nel loro uscire quello che nel cuore si ragionava, cioe 
lo nome di quella gentilissima, e come si partio da noi. 
E molte avvenia, che tanto dolore avea in se alcuno 
pensiero, che io dimenticava lui, e la dov' io era. Per 
questo raccendimenlo di sospiri, si raccese lo sollevato 
largamente in guisa, che li miei occhi pareano due cose 
che desiderassero pur di piangere: e spesso avvenia 
che per lo lungo continuare del pianto, dintorno loro 
si facea un colore purpureo, quale apparir suole per 
alcuno marlire ch' altri riceva: onde appare, che della 
loro vanila furono degnamente guiderdonati, si che da 



- 141 — 

Forth from the eyes of that fair pitying one 
Who was so troubled by our sufferings." 



One day, about the hour of the None, there arose 
within me a powerful striving of the imagination against 
this adversary. Reason. Methought I saw the glorified 
Beatrice, clad in that bloodred dress in which she first 
appeared before my eyes; she seemed as young in years 
as when I first beheld her. I then began to meditate 
upon her, and calling to mind the events of time past, 
in the order in which they occurred, my heart began 
with anguish to repent of the desire wherewith it had 
allowed itself to be possessed for some days in opposi- 
tion to the constancy urged by my reason. And having 
discarded this wicked desire , all my thoughts reverted 
to the fairest Beatrice. And I say that from tliat time I 
began to think of her with my heart so overwhelmed 
with shame that it was often manifested by my sighs ; 
nay many of them as they escaped from me , spoke that 
which was my heart's meditation, the name of that 
beauteous person, and the manner in which she had 
departed from us. And it often happened that each in- 
dividual thought was so overcharged with grief, that 
I forgot both it, and the place where I was. In conse- 
quence of this rekindling of my sighs, the desire to 
weep, which had ceased, burnt afresh within me: in- 
somuch that mine eyes appeared like two things pos- 
sessed by an ardent desire to weep; indeed it often 
happened that from long continued tears, a purple tint, 
such as may be seen in those who suffer excruciating 
pain, was visible all round them; whence it is plain 



- 142 - 

indi innanzi non poterono mirare persona che li guar- 
dasse si che loro potesse Irarre a simile intendiraento. 
Onde io volendo che cotal desiderio malYagio e vana 
tentazione paressero distrutti si che alcuno dubbio non 
polessero inducere le rimate parole ch' io avea dette 
dinanzi, proposi di fare un Sonelto, nel quale io com- 
prendessi la sentenza di questa ragione. E dissi allora: 
Lasso per forza etc. 

Dissi lasso, in quanta mi vergognava di cio che li 
miei occhi aveano cost vaneggiato. Questo Sonelto non 
divido, pero che e assai manifesta la sua ragione. 

Lasso! per forza de'molti sospiri, 

Che nascon de'pensier che sou nel core, 
Gli occhi son vinti. e non hanno yalore 
Di riguardar persona che gli miri. 

E fatti son, che paion due disiri 
Di lagrimare e di mostrar dolore; 
E spesse volte piangon si ch'Amore 
Gli cerchia di corona di martiri. 

Questi pensieri e li sospir, ch' io gitto, 
Diventan dentro al core si angosciosi, 
Ch'Amor vi traraortisce, si glien duole; 

Perocch' egli hanno in lor li dolorosi 
Quel dolce nome di Madonna scritto, 
E della morte sua raolle parole. 

Dopo questa tribolazione avvenne (in quel tempo 
che molta gente andava per \edere quella imagine be- 
nedetta, la quale Gesu Cristo lascio a noi per esempio 



- 143 - 

that they were amply rewarded for their fickleness ; 
so much so indeed, that from that time forward if any 
one looked at them so as to bring them into a similar 
predicament, they were unable to return the glance. 
Wherefore , being anxious that this my evil inclina- 
tion , this my idle temptation should seem so comple- 
tely annihilated as that my previously composed rhy- 
mes could throw no doubt on the matter, I purposed 
making a Sonnet which should contain the substance 
of my reasoning on the subject; and I wrote: "^ Lasso 
per forza." I used the word ''alas!" on account of the 
shame 1 felt for the doting fondness of which mine eyes 
had been guilty. I do not divide this Sonnet, because its 
meaning is sufficiently obvious. 

Alas! by reason of the many sighs 
Born of the thoughts which in my heart remain, 
No strength is left in these my vanquished eyes 
If gazed on , to return the gaze again ; 

And they are changed into wishes twain 
For weeping and for uttering doleful cries; 
And oft because they weep in such sad guise 
Love rounds them with the martyr crown of pain. 

These thoughts and sighs which from my heart go forth. 
Become so painful when therein confined 
That Love for very sorrow fainteth there, 

Because, poor sufferers! each of them is signed 
With the sweet name ray Lady bore on earth 
And many words which do her death declare. <^ . 

After this my tribulation, and just at the time 
when much people were going to see the blessed like- 
ness ^ left to us by Jesus Christ of his beautifnl counte- 

1 He here alludes to the Volto Santo preserved among the relies in the 



— 144 — 

della sua bellissima figura la quale vede la mia donna 
gloriosamente), che alquanti peregrini passavano per 
una via la quale e quasi in mezzo della cittade, ove 
nacque, vivelte e morio la gentilissima donna, e anda- 
yano secondo che mi parve, molto pensosi. Oud'io pen- 
sando a loro, dissi fra me medesimo: "Questi peregrini 
mi paiono di lontana parte, e non credo che anche 
udissero parlare di questa donna, e non ne sanno nien- 
te; anzi i loro pensieri sono d' altre cose che di questa 
qui; che forse pensano delli loro amici lontani, li quali 
noi non conoscemo." Poi dicea fra me medesimo: '"lo so 
che se questi fossero di propinquo paese, in alcuna vi- 
sta parrebbero turbati passando per lo mezzo della 
dolorosa cittade." Poi dicea fra me stesso: " S' io 11 potessi 
tenere alquanto, io pur gli farei piangere anzi ch'egli 
uscissero di questa cittade', perocche io direi parole che 
farebbero piangere chiunque le udisse." Onde passati co- 
storo dalla mia yeduta, proposi di fare un Soneto nel 
quale manifestassi cio ch' io avea detto fra me medesi- 
mo; ed acciocche piu paresse pietoso, proposi di dire 
come se io avessi parlato loro, e jdissi questo Sonetto, 
lo quale comincia Deh 'peregrini etc. 

Dissi peregrini secondo la larga significazione del 
vocabolo: che peregrini si possono intendere in due modi, 
in uno largo ed in uno stretlo. In largo, in quanto e 



- 148 — 

nance, the which my Lady now beholds in her glori- 
fied state, it chanced that some Pilgrims were passing 
a long a street which runs nearly through the middle 
of that City wherein my lovely Lady was born, lived , 
and died. They seemed to me in a contemplative mood, 
and reflecting upon them afterwards I said to myself, 
"These strangers appear to have come from a great 
distance, and I do not think they have as yet heard my 
Lady spoken of, and assuredly they know nothing of 
her; on the contrary their thoughts are bent on other 
matters ; perhaps they are meditating on their friends 
at a distance who are unknown to us. " I then said 
within myself: "I am certain that if these people be- 
longed to any neighbouring country, they would appear 
troubled in some degree at least, as they pass through 
this afflicted City." Again I said " If I could converse 
with them awhile, I would make them weep before they 
quit this City, for I would address them in words that 
would draw tears from who so should hear them." There- 
fore when they were out of sight, I purposed making 
a Sonnet, declaring what had passed within me ; and 
in order to give it a more affecting tone, I resolved on 
speaking as though 1 were addressing those persons , 
and I composed the Sonnet beginning " Deh peregrinV 

I use the word Peregrini [Pilgrims] in its largest 
sense; for it may be used in tico senses, one larger , the 
other more restricted. In the larger, inasmuch as any 

Vatican at Rome; commonly called the Veronica j a corruption of « vera icon:» 
■wliich signifies the true image. Sanla Veronica is said lo have wiped the sweat 
from the face of Christ whilst carrying the cross, with a cloth which thence- 
forth retained the impression of his countenance. 

13 



__ 146 — 

peregrino chiunque e fuori delta patria sua: in modo 
stretto non s' intende peregrino se non chi va verso la 
casa di santo Jacopo, o riede: e per 6 e da sapere che in 
tre modi si chiamano propriamente le genti che vanno 
al servigio delV Altissimo. Chiamansi palmieri in quanto 
vanno oUremare Id onde moUe volte recano la palma: 
chiamansi peregrini in quanto vanno alia Casa di Ga- 
lizia, pero che la sepoltura di santo Jacopo fu piu Ion- 
tana dalla sua patria , che d' alcuno altro Apostolo : 
chiamasi romei in quanto vanno a Roma, la ove questi 
cK 10 chiamo peregrini andavano. Questo Sonetto non 
si divide, pero ch' assai il manifesta la sua ragione. 

Deh peregrini, che pensosi andate 

Forse di cosa, che non v' e presente, 

Venite voi di si lontana gente. 

Com' alia vista voi ne dimostrate? 
Che non piangete quando voi passate 

Per lo suo mezzo la citta dolente, 

Come quelle persone, che neente 

Par che intendesser la sua gravitate. 
Se voi restate, per volere udire, 

Certo lo core ne'sospir mi dice, 

Che lagrimando n' uscirete pui. 
Ella ha perduto la sua Beatrice ; 

E le parole, ch'uom di lei pud dire, 

Hanno virtu di far piangere altrui. 

Poi mandaro due donne gentili a me pregandomi 
che mandassi loro di queste mie parole rimate; ond' io 
pensando la loro nobilta proposi di mandar loro e di 
fare una cosa nuova , la quale io mandassi loro con 
esse, acciocche piu onorevolmente adempiessi li loro prie- 



- 147 — 

one is out of his oivn country he is a Pilgrim ; in the 
more restricted it means one who is either going to , or 
returning from the House of 5' James; moreover , those 
tvho go thither on the service of the most High are called 
by three distinct names; Palmers are those toho go 
beyond Seas, and often bring back with them the Palm; 
Pilgrims are those ivho go to the holy House of Galliciay 
(for S* James's burial 'place was farther distant from his 
own country than that of any other Apostle). Romers 
are those who travel to Rome, whither those whom 1 call 
Pilgrims were going. This Sonnet I do not divide ^ be- 
cause its signification is plain enough. 

I pray you Pilgrims, musing as ye go 

On things which are perchance no more at hand, 
Say if ye come from such a distant Land 
As by your outward mien you seem to show? 

For as ye pass along, no tears o'erflow, 
Though in the grieving City's heart ye stand, 
Like unto men who do not understand 
Aught of the heavy pressure of her woe. 

If ye, to hear me, will awhile defer 
Your going, you shall after weiid your way, 
(So says my sighing heart) dissolved in tears. 

^ Her own sweet Beatrice is lost to her — 

And what men's tongues can of that Lady say, 
Has power to move to weeping him who hears. 

Two noble Damsels sent to me, begging me to give 
Ihem these my rhymes. Wherefore, considering their 
quality, I purposed doing so, and composing something 
new to send with them , so as more gracefully to com- 
ply with their request. I then composed a Sonnet de- 

- The City has lost her Beatrice. 



— 148 — 

ghi. E dissi allora un Sonetto, il quale narra il mio 
slato, e mandailo loro col precedente soDetto accompa- 
gnato, e con un altro che comincia Venite a intender ec. 
II Sonetto, il quale io feci allora, e Oltre la spera ec, 

Questo Sonetto ha in se cinque parti. Nella prima 
dice la ove va il mio pensiero nominandolo per nome di 
alcuno suo effetto. Nella seconda dice per che va lassu, e 
chi H fa cosi andare. Nella terza dice quello che vide, 
cioe una donna onorata. E chiamolo allora spirito pelle- 
grino; acciocche spiritualmente va lassu, e si come pere- 
grino, lo quale e fuori della sua patria, e vi sta. Nella 
quarta dico, com'egli la vede takj cioe in tale qualitd; 
cK io non la posso intender e; cioe a dire che il mio pen- 
siero sale nella qualitd di costei in grado che il mio in- 
telletto not pud comprendere; conciossiacosache il nostro 
intelletto s' abbia a quelle benedette anime, come Vocchio 
nostro debole al sole: e cio dice il Filosofo nel secondo 
della Metapsica. Nella quinta dico, che avvegnache io non 
possa vedere la ove il pensiero mi trae, cioe alia sua mi- 
rabile qualitd, almeno intendo questo, cioe che tale e il 
pensiero della mia donna, perche io sento spesso il suo 
nome nel mio pensiero. E nel fine di questa quinta parte 
dico donne mie care, a dare ad in tender e che son donne 
coloro cui parlo. La seconda parte incomincia Intelli- 
genza nova; la terza Quand'egli e giunto; la quarta 
Vedela tal; la quinta So io ch' el parla. Potrebbesi piu 
sottilmente ancora dividere, e piu fare intendere, ma 
puossi passare con questa divisione, e perd non mi trametlo 
di piu dividerlo. 



— 149 — 

scriptive of my condition, and conveyed it to them ac- 
companied by the preceding one and another which 
begins: " Venite a intender." The Sonnet which I made 
at this time, begins: ^^Ollre la spera" 

It contains five parts. In the first 1 say whither my 
thought is going, and I give it an appellation taken 
from a certain effect produced by it; in the second I say^ 
why it goes upwards and who causes it to do so; in the 
third I relate ivhat it sees, namely, a Lady receiving 
honour; and then I call it a "Pilgrim Spirit/' because 
it goes upwards in a spiritual form, and remains there 
like a Pilgrim cut of his oion Country; in the fourth I 
say, how it beholds her as she really is, that is to say, in 
a degree of perfection incomprehensible to me; in other 
words, that my thought attributes a degree of perfection 
to her^ which my mind cannot comprehend; for our in- 
tellect stands in a relation to those blessed spirits, similar 
to that which our iveak eyes bear to the Sun; and thus 
says the Philosopher in the second part of his Metaphy- 
sics ; in the fifth I say that though I cannot clearly see 
that to which my thought guides me, (her marvellous 
perfection) still I understand thus much, namely, that it 
is a thought of my Lady, since I find her name so often 
in it; and at the conclusion of this fifth part I say: 
"Donne mie care, " in order to shew that I speak to 
Ladies. The second part begins: "Love doth perceptions;" 
the third: "And when unto:" the fourth: "when it re- 
counts:" the fift: "I know that of:" more minute divis- 
ions might be made, and the meaning thereby rendered 
clearer, but it may stand with those now existing , and 
therefore I do not trouble myself to make more. 



- 150 - 

Oltre la spera, che piii larga gira, 

Passa il sospiro, ch'esce del mio core; 
Intelligenza nova, che TAmore 
Piangendo mette in lui, pur su lo lira: 

Quand' egli e giunto la dov' el desira, 
Vede una donna che riceve onore, 
E luce si, che perlo suo splendore 
Lo peregrino spirito la mira. 

Vedela tal, che quando il mi ridice, 
lo non lo intendo, si parla sottile 
Al cor dolente, che lo fa parlare. 

So io ch' el parla di quella gentile 
Perocche spesso ricorda Beatrice, 
Sicch'io lo intendo ben, donne mie care. 



Appresso a questo Sonetto apparve a me una mi- 
rabil visione, nella quale vidi cose, che mi fecero pro- 
porre di non dir piu di questa benedetta, infintantoche 
io non potessi piu degnamente trattare di lei. E di ve- 
nire a cio io studio quanlo posso, si com' ella sa vera- 
cemente. Sicche, se piacere sara di Golui, per cui tutte 
le cose vivono, che la mia vita per alquanti anni per- 
se veri, spero di dire di lei quello che mai non fu detto 
d'alcuna. E poi piaccia a Colui, ch'e Sire della Corte- 
sia, che la mia anima se ne possa gire a vedere la 
gloria della sua Donna, cioe di quella benedetta Bea- 
trice che gloriosamente mira nella faccia di Colui, Qui 
est per omnia scecula henedictus. 

FINE. 



— 151 — 

Beyond the "widest orbit of the spheres, ' 

My sigh flies upward, issuing from the heart; 

Love doth perceptions new to it impart 

Which draw it heavenwards, whiles he sheJdeth tears. 
And when unto the wishedfor spot it nears 

It views a Lady placed in honour high; 

Who, in her brightness shining splendidly , 

Unto my Pilgrim spirit thus appears. 
When it recounts her Glory whom it sees, 

I understand not its refined speech 

To my sad heart, which bids its accents flow. 
I know that of my Lady it would teach , 

Because it often nameth Beatrice. 

Thus much, O Ladies dear! I full know. — 

Soon after writing this Sonnet, a wonderful Vision 
appeared to me, in which I saw things that made me 
determine to write no more of this beatifled Lady until 
I could treat of her in a manner more suited to her 
dignity. In order to arrive at which, I study with all 
my might, as she well knows. So that if it be the will 
of Him in whom all things have their being , that my 
life should continue for a few years longer , I hope to 
speak of her as no woman was ever spoken of before. 
And may it please Him who is the God of mercy, that 
my soul may ascend to behold the Glory of its Lady , 
the blessed Beatrice, who in a beatified state seethHim 
face to face, ^^Qui est per omnia scecula henedictus." (Who 
is blessed for evermore). — 



^j.x.-^-'Ji' 



FINIS. 



APPENDIX. 



— 154 



SOAETTO Dl GlIDO CAVALCANTi. ' 



Yedesti al mio parere ogiii yalore, 

E lutto gioco, e quanto ben uom senle, 
Se fusti in pruova del signer valente, 
Che signoreggia il raondo de 1' onore; 

Poi viye in parte, dove noia muore; 
E lien ragion ne la pietosa mente: 
Si ya soaye ne' sonni a la gente, 
Che i cor ne porta senza far romore. 

Di te lo core ne porto; yeggendo 

Che la tua donna la morte chiedea, 
Nudrilla dello cor, di cio temendo. 

Quando t'apparye, che ne gia dogliendo, 
Fa dolce sono, ch' allor si compiea, 
Che '1 suo contrario lo yenia yincendo. 



* Preso dall' edizione delle Rime di Cavalcanti pubblicata da Anl. Ciccia- 
poici, Firenze 1613, ia-8j ma colle variaali del Codice Yaticauo 3214, nel 1842 
da'Salvatore Belli, le quali araraegliorano la lezione. 



- iS6 - 

The three following Sonnets are the answers returned to the 
first Sonnet of Dante , the meaning of the original is not 
always clear , but it is amusing to see the diflTerent views 
of men of talent on the same subject, in those days. 



SOMET BY GlllDO CAVALCANTI/ 



Thou saw'st all power (so does my judgmeut say) 
And joy, and every good which man can know, 
If thou wert tried by that great sovreign, who 
Throughout the world of honor holds his sway. 

Who dwells where every sorrow dies away, 
And o'er the gentle mind has influence loo. 
Softly midst pleasing slumbers doth he go. 
And then abstracts men's hearts, all noiselesly. 

And thine he took away, when he did know 
That death was sought for by thy lady fair, 
And on that heart he fed her , tremblingly. 

And his departure, whilst his tears did flow 
Was but thy gentle sleep which ended there, 
Succeeded, conquered, by its contrary.^ 

^ Taken from the edition of « Rime di Cavalcanti» published by Ant. Ciccia- 
porci, Florence 1613, but with the alterations of the Codex Vaticano 3214, pub- 
lished in 1842 by Salvatore Betti, by which it was much improved. 

2 Succeded by disagreable dreams. 



1 



lue — 



SONETTO DI CINO DA PISTOIA/ 



Naturalmente chere ogn' Amadore 

Di suo cor la sua Donna far saccenle, 
E questo, per la vision presente, 
Inlej^e di mostrare a te Amore, 

In cio che dello tuo ardenle core 
Pasceva la tua Donna umilmente, 
Che lungamente stala era dormente, 
Involta in drappo d' ogni pena fore; 

Allegro si mostro Amor venendo 

A te per darti cio, che '1 cor chiedea 
Insieme due coraggi comprendendo; 

E r amorosa pena conoscendo 

Che nella donna conceputa avea, 
Per pieta di lei pianse, partendo. 



< Dair edizione delle Rime di Cino pubblicata da Sebastiano Ciampi, 
Pisa 1813 in-8. pag. 98. 



157 — 



SONNET BY MESSER mO M PISTOIA 



It is a Lover's aim, most naturally, 
Unto his Lady-love his heart to bare; 
And this it was which in thy vision rare , 
Love undertook to manifest to thee, 

When of thy burning heart he modestly, 
Did give to eat unto thy lady fair; 
She who had lain so long in slumber there, 
In mantle clad, and from all sorrow free — 

Love shewed himself to thee in joyous guise, 
Coming to give to thee thine heart's desire. 
And blend your mutual wishes into one, 

And conscious of the pain which hidden lies 
In love, which in thy Lady he instilled, 
He pitied her, and wept — and then was gone. 

1 From the eJilion of iLe Bime di Cino , published hy Sebastiano Ciatnpi , 
Pisa 1813 in-S. pag. 98. 



14 



lo8 



SOIVETTO DI DANTE DA MAIANO. 



Di cio, che stato sei dimandatore 

Guardando, ti rispondo breveraente 
Amico mio, di poco conoscente 
Mostrandoti de' ver lo suo sentore. 

Al suo mistier cosi son parlatore; 

Se san li truovi, e fermo della mente, 
Che lavi la tua collia largamente, 
Acciocche slringa, e passi lo vapore, 

Lo qual ti fa favolegiar loquendo: 
E se gravato sei d'inferta rea, 
Sol cli'hai farneticato, sappie, intendo. 

Cosi rescritto il mio parer ti rendo; 
Ne cangio mai d' esta sentenza mea, 
Finche tua acqua al medico no' stendo. 



^ Dalla Raccolta di Rime antiche Toscancj Palermo 1817. t. I. pag. 250. 



— 159 — 



SONNET BY DANTE DA MAIANO/ 



The thing thou ask'st me, well reflected on, 
I send my answer, in few words to thee 
My friend (of such things ignorant though I be) 
In which the truth of this thy dream is shewn, 

Whose mystery I explain one way alone. 
If thou art sound in frame, thy senses free 
From any ailment, bathe thee copiously. 
Until those vapours be repressed or gone. 

Which cause thee idle stories to relate. 

If by some sickness thou art sore oppressed, 
'Twas a delirium — so I'd have thee know — 

My written judgment thus to you I state, 
And my opinion ever fixed will rest 
Till I, your water to the Doctor shew. 

From the Raccolta di Rime antiche Toscane, Palermo 1817 t. I. p. 250. 




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